Pearls have been a symbol of beauty and purity for centuries. Today, pearls come in many fashionable styles and shapes than your beloved grandmother’s traditional strand of pearls. After hundreds of years they are still regarded both contemporary and classic. Buyers have a tremendous variety of pearls in the market today, the process of selecting the best suited ones have become quite interesting but in that entire procedure, somehow, pearls are becoming the least understood of all gemstones. Buying pearls is not only about getting your hands onto the prettiest or bigger pearls- we are listing below some main types of pearls so let’s get started!
Akoya Pearls
It is said that Akoya pearl variety was cultivated at the beginning of the 1900’s in Japan. Pearls from the Akoya oyster are considered to be the most popular types of pearls. Most of these pearls produced today usually range in sizes from 4 to 10mm.
Pintcada fucata martensii are sought after their perfectly round shape. Most of Akoya are in natural colors ranging from white, yellowish or light pink. If you were looking for a classic strand of round and white pearls, you probably need to get Akoya pearls.
Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater pearls are generally the most common variety of pearls thus, the least expensive ones too.
They are famously known for baroque shapes, pastel and white body colors and they are softer than akoya- but in the case of rare metallic’s it’s the other way around.
Freshwater pearls are cultivated in freshwater muscles in creeks, rivers, lakes, or ponds. They are often irregular in shape but come in vast amounts of mesmerizing colors and sometimes they can be perfectly round.
Tahtian Black Pearls
Tahtian Black Pearls are grown in French Polynesia and these are the only naturally dark pearls. They come in a rainbow of gorgeous colors.
Silver/Steel, Blue-Green and Peacock are the common overtones of Tahtian pearls.
Round Tahtian are not readily available and are quite valuable, they are also bigger than Akoya and Freshwater Pearls.
Golden South Sea Pearls
Golden South Sea Pearls are the most valuable pearls especially when they are natural colored. These are produced by the golden-lipped oyster.
They are available in oval, round, baroque or teardrop shapes. These rare beauties come from warm waters of Philippines and Indonesia and are typically larger than other saltwater pearls variety.
South Sea Pearls
South Sea Pearls are valuable and biggest of all pearls. The come in two varieties- White and Gold. They are mostly known for their incredible satin luster and size.
South Sea Pearls are usually grown in the warm waters of Australia; these are saltwater pearls and are cultivated from the oyster. They typically range as large as 17mm.