Pearl types explained

Natural, cultured and imitation first, then the four kinds of cultured pearl that make up almost everything sold, and why we chose to sell only one of them.

Natural, cultured and imitation

Three words that get mixed up more than any others in pearl shopping.

Natural

Formed by a wild mollusc with no human help. Almost none are harvested today; those that exist sell at auction for sums that have nothing to do with jewelry.
Cultured

Grown by a mollusc after a farmer starts the process. The pearl is real nacre, made by the animal. Every pearl in every jewelry shop, including ours, is cultured.
Imitation

Glass, shell or plastic with a pearly coating. Not pearls at all. Smooth against a tooth, perfectly identical to each other, and light.

The four cultured types

Four species produce nearly every cultured pearl sold.

Freshwater

Grown in mussels in lakes and ponds, mostly around Zhuji, China. Solid nacre with no bead. The widest range of shapes, colors and prices.
Akoya

Grown in small oysters off Japan, China and Vietnam. Bead nucleus with a thin nacre coat. The classic sharp white strand; 6 to 9 mm.
Tahitian

Grown in black-lipped oysters in French Polynesia. Bead nucleus, naturally dark colors from grey to green to aubergine; 8 to 14 mm.
South Sea

Grown in the largest oysters, off Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Bead nucleus with the thickest coat; white, silver or gold; 9 to 16 mm.

Side by side

How the four types differ. The freshwater column is highlighted because it is what we sell.

Criterion	Freshwater	Akoya	Tahitian	South Sea
Grown in	Freshwater mussels, lakes and ponds	Akoya oysters, sea	Black-lipped oysters, lagoons	Silver and gold-lipped oysters, sea
Where	Zhuji, China	Japan, China, Vietnam	French Polynesia	Australia, Philippines, Indonesia
Inside the pearl	Solid nacre, no bead	Bead nucleus, thin nacre coat	Bead nucleus, thicker coat	Bead nucleus, thickest coat
Durability	Highest	Lowest	High	High
Typical size	6 to 11 mm	6 to 9 mm	8 to 14 mm	9 to 16 mm
Natural colors	White, pink, peach, purple	White, cream, silver	Grey, black, green, aubergine	White, silver, gold
Luster	Soft to very high	Sharp, mirror-like	Metallic	Satin
Typical strand price	$140 to $310 with us	$500 to $2,000	$1,500 to $6,000	$3,000 to $15,000

Price ranges are for a matched 18 inch strand of good quality and are indicative only.

Our choice

Why we sell freshwater pearls and nothing else.

Three reasons. First, freshwater pearls are the only type that is nacre all the way through, which makes them the most durable pearl you can wear every day. Second, the price of a good freshwater strand is within reach of someone buying their first real jewelry, and we would rather sell many people a strand they wear than a few people a strand they keep in a drawer.

Third, and most practically, the farms are in one place, Zhuji, and that is where one of us is based. We can know the farmers, see the harvests and sort the strands ourselves. We could not promise that for oysters on three continents.

Our story

Common questions

Are freshwater pearls real pearls?

Yes. They are cultured pearls grown in freshwater mussels, nacre all the way through. The only pearls that are not real are imitations made of glass, shell or plastic.

Are freshwater pearls lower quality than Akoya?

No. They are a different pearl. The best freshwater strands rival Akoya for luster and beat it for durability. The price difference is about farming cost and rarity, not about which lasts longer.

Why do freshwater pearls come in so many shapes?

Because there is no bead inside to hold the shape. The pearl grows the way the mussel grew it, which is why true rounds are the rarest freshwater pearls and the most valuable.

See all questions