Culturing freshwater pearls boasts a rich history that dates back to the 13th century in China. When most people refer to freshwater pearls today, they are typically talking about Chinese cultured pearls. Remarkably, modern cultivation techniques, including the creation of blister pearls, remain strikingly similar to those documented over 700 years ago.
In the 1970s, the international market saw an influx of small, rice-shaped freshwater pearls from China. However, the past five decades have marked a significant transformation in the industry. Chinese producers transitioned from focusing on quantity to emphasizing quality, achieving remarkable advancements in the standards of freshwater pearls.
Today, China is the undisputed leader in the cultured pearl market, producing ten times more pearls than the rest of the world combined. This evolution has established Chinese freshwater pearls as a benchmark of quality and innovation in the global jewelry market.
The majority of China’s cultured pearl production is concentrated within a 480-kilometer radius around Shanghai, with Lake Taihu being the most renowned site. This lake is not only the birthplace of freshwater pearl cultivation in China but also a historic landmark, where pearl farming has continued uninterrupted for over seven centuries.
However, when it comes to the gold standard for top-quality freshwater pearls, the title belongs to Biwa pearls from Lake Biwa in Japan. It was here, in the 1920s, that the mantle tissue nucleation technique was pioneered, setting a benchmark of excellence for freshwater pearls that remains unmatched to this day.
For freshwater pearl cultivation, the Hyriopsis cumingi and Hyriopsis schlegeli mussels (known as ike-cho-gai in Japanese) are the most commonly used. These bivalve mollusks can live for up to 15 years, reaching an impressive size of 30 cm in length and 20 cm in width.
Unlike saltwater pearls, which typically use bead nuclei, freshwater pearls are traditionally cultivated with small tissue grafts. However, the use of bead nuclei has become more common in recent years, allowing pearls to grow larger, sometimes exceeding 15 mm. Pearls grown from tissue grafts are composed almost entirely of nacre, which generally limits their maximum size to 12 mm.
The cultivation process takes between 2 to 6 years, with each mussel capable of producing up to 20 pearls of varying quality in a single cycle. This high yield contributes to the affordability of freshwater pearls compared to their saltwater counterparts.
However, achieving a perfectly round shape is a rare feat—only 2% of freshwater pearls meet this high standard. The natural color palette includes white, cream, orange, purple, and pink. Yet, the majority of Chinese freshwater pearls undergo enhancements through dyeing, irradiation, or lacquer coating to boost color and luster.
It is important to note that these treatments can sometimes be unstable, potentially leading to changes in the pearls' appearance over time. Therefore, while treated pearls offer a wide range of colors, natural pearls remain the benchmark for enduring beauty and value.
Freshwater pearls hold a special place in Ksenia Podnebesnaya’s creative vision, thanks to their distinctive color palette that offers hues not found in saltwater pearls. This diversity enables her to design entire collections, as well as craft exclusive pieces with unique color combinations.
Her artistry shines in the "Powder" and "Sakura" ensembles, where the soft, natural tones of freshwater pearls are expertly paired to create captivating and harmonious designs. Each piece reflects Ksenia's passion for pearls and her ability to transform nature’s beauty into timeless jewelry.
While freshwater pearls are often considered widely available, finding large pearls with flawless luster and purity is a true rarity. At SORA, Ksenia Podnebesnaya exclusively selects natural materials, focusing only on collectible-quality pearls that meet the highest standards of shape, inner glow, and surface clarity.
Her meticulous selection process involves evaluating not only the natural color and shade of each pearl but also ensuring that it has a captivating inner radiance. For Ksenia, choosing a pearl is more than just an assessment of quality—it is about forming a personal connection with each gem. She believes that the best pearls are those that evoke a sense of love at first sight.
This passion and her deep expertise in pearl selection have allowed her to curate exceptional collections and provide private pearl sourcing services to the most discerning clients for over 20 years.
You can explore jewelry pieces featuring outstanding freshwater pearls in the "Daily Pearls" and "Spheres" collections, where elegance and sophistication come together to celebrate the timeless beauty of these unique pearls.
Jewelry with freshwater pearls.
