I was given a ring for X-mas and it is a "cultured" pearl and I noticed that in an ad for jewelery it offers either cultured or fresh water pearls! And how does one take care of a "cultured pearl" ?
2007-12-23 13:24:56 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
You have asked a question that seems simple but has a very complex answer. I will try to make my answer simple as I do not want to write a book on the subject.
Firstly you need to understand that both salt and fresh water pearls can be cultured and in fact 95% or more of all the types of pearls you see for sale are cultured, both fresh and salt water.
The term "cultured pearl" has, over time, come to mean salt water pearls that have been grown by putting a "mother of pearl" bead into various types of oyster and leaving them to get covered by nacre produced by the oyster in farms off the coast of various countries.
Fresh water pearls do occur naturally but these are rare and the ones you can buy are all cultured. The system of production is different, it does not use a bead to start it growing. In the case of fresh water pearls the muscle (not an oyster is opened, a small cut is made in its flesh into which a piece of flesh from another muscle is inserted. In time a pearl form round this insertion. They are grown in rivers and lakes in various countries. The proper name for these pearls is "non nucleated cultured pearls"
As far as caring for your ring remember that pearls are soft and they react with acids. Don't wear your ring as an every day item, use it for the more special occasions. Do not get your cosmetics over it as they can stain it permanently and take it off when you wash your hands or do any cooking/cleaning (vinegar and household chemicals can destroy a pearl in no time flat). If your ring does get dirty use a little gentle detergent in warm water and a soft tooth brush ti clean it - rinse it well with clean water and let it dry. This advice applies to almost all jewellery pearl or not.
Hope this helps a little.
2007-12-24 02:21:40 · answer #1 · answered by U.K.Export 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A cultured pearl is the same as a "real" pearl and you would care for it in the same way. The cultured pearl is made by putting a piece of sand into an oyster, which then coats it to make the pearl. I never heard the term "fresh water pearl" but I know there are fresh water clams and they can have pearls in them. I suppose they could be cultured also. I don't think you can tell the difference between cultured and "real" oyster pearls but fresh water pearls might look different.
2007-12-23 13:38:27 · answer #2 · answered by Russell K 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I noticed this question late last night and planned to answer it this morning. But I noticed that U.K. Exports beat me to the punch. I know there are other answers too, but the difference is that U.K. Export's answer is correct.
There are only two things that I would like to add.
The ad that you saw offering "cultured pearls" and "freshwater pearls" is actually illegal. According to FTC regulations (§ 23.19, § 23.20, § 23.21) the freshwater pearls should be referred to as "cultured freshwater pearls".
The actual percentage of cultured versus natural pearls on the market today is more than 95%. It is actually in the range of 99.9999%, and this is not an exaggeration. All pearls at Tiffanys, Mikimoto, PearlParadise.com are cultured unless described as exotic naturals.
The second thing I want to mention is a slight correction to U.K. Export's post. Freshwater 'muscles' do not create freshwater pearls. Freshwater 'mussels' do. Also, a freshwater pearl is created by grafting a piece of mantle tissue from a donor 'mussel' into the mantle of a host 'mussel. The fact that these are 'muscles' within the 'mussels' creates some confusion.
PS
What you have is cultured akoya pearl. You can learn more about akoya pearls here: http://www.pearlparadise.com/information-akoya.htm
You can also learn about freshwater pearls here: http://www.pearlparadise.com/information-freshwater.htm
2007-12-24 02:59:42 · answer #3 · answered by Pearl Dude 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A "cultured pearl" was intentionally created by humans by irritating the clam in some way. Fresh water pearls are made naturally. Cultured pearls can be treated just like any other precious gem, I think.
2007-12-23 13:34:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
They tend to call "fresh water pearls" the pearls that are irregular in shape. South sea pearls generally are large, high quality pearls. So South Sea ones are better quality.
2016-04-10 22:30:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cultured pearls are formed in oysters in sea water just as natural pearls are. They are harvested when a particular size to make it easy for using in jewelry. They are cheaper than natural pearls but are the same material and appearance as natural pearls.
Freshwater pearls occur in freshwater mussels not oysters. They are not usually as valuable as saltwater pearls.
2007-12-23 21:59:16 · answer #6 · answered by tentofield 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Aren't they both the same basically
just how the pearl starts to form
2007-12-23 13:36:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋