Cultured freshwater pearls are made when a foreign object such as a bead or tissue from another mussel is inserted deliberately into a freshwater mollusk to induce the natural process of pearl creation. The mollusk reacts by secreting nacre, a lustrous substance that builds up in layers around the nucleus. Nearly all modern pearls are cultured or farmed. Cultured pearls which use a tiny bead can be distinguished from natural pearls through the use of x-rays, which reveal the inner part of the pearl.
The color of pearls is determined by the nacre, and is generally white, pink, silver, gray, yellow, brown or gold. The rainbow iridescence often seen on the pearl is called "orient." Pearls are often bleached as part of a pre-treatment for being dyed or color-enhanced. Dyed colors may fade over time. Pearls are also treated with gamma-ray irradiation to darken and enhance the iridescent colors.
Shop for Freshwater Pearls here.Biwa freshwater pearl beads are flat side-drilled or top-drilled freshwater pearls. The word "biwa" comes from the name of a Japanese lute.
Button freshwater pearl beads are taller than they are wide, and may be slightly flattened on one side.
Coin freshwater pearl beads are flattened and disk-shaped.
Top-drilled freshwater pearl beads are drilled close to one end of the bead so that they hang down from the thread when they are strung.
Keshi freshwater pearl beads are lumpy, somewhat flattened or crinkled pearl beads.
Nugget freshwater pearl beads are lumpy somewhat rounded pearl beads with one side that is often flatter than the other.
Potato freshwater pearl beads are close to round but often are wider than they are long.
Rice freshwater pearl beads are longer than they are wide, either oval or long and rice shaped.
Rosebud freshwater pearl beads have tiny dots and grains on them.
Caravan Beads, C-Lon, and C-Flex are registered trademarks of Caravan Beads, Inc., all rights reserved. All text and images copyright 2007-2010.
