This week we continue are series on different bead types with a look at pearls. This would seem like a simple area to look at, but it is actually quite involved.

There are two basic types of pearls, Natural and Cultured. Natural pearls are not created with human interference, Cultured pearls are created with human interference. These two categories can be further broken down into Saltwalter and Freshwater Pearls. Saltwater pearls come from oceanic areas, such as bays, oceans, gulfs and seas, and mainly come from varieties of oysters.




Freshwater Pearls are sourced from rivers, lakes, creeks and ponds, and come from freshwater mussels. Freshwater Pearls are often irregular in shape, but can be quite round. They come in an assortment of different colours

The following are some common types of pearls you may come across from the Saltwater Pearls –

South Sea Pearls – These pearls come in two different types from two different areas. The larger white to silver grey ones come from the oceans to the north and northwest of Australia and in Indonesia. They range in size from 9mm up to 18mm. The other variety come from the tropical waters of Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines, and come in tones of cream, yellow and golden. They are generally smaller, around 8mm to 12mm.




Akoya Pearls – These pearls mainly come from Japan, but also can come from South Korea, China and Vietnam. These pearls are sized from 2mm to 9mm and are know for their high lustre and roundness.


Tahitian Black Pearls – These pearls come from an oyster species with a black shell found around islands in the South Pacific, such as Cook Islands and French Polynesia. They are named after the most famous island in French Polynesia, Tahiti, which is a major exporter of these pearls. They vary in colour from deep purple, bronze and grey to black. They are generally 7mm to 12mm, and are more expensive if over 14mm, as well as being rarer.

Keshi Pearls – These pearls are irregular in shape and come from various oyster species in different cultivating regions. Keshi is a Japanese word that means poppyseed and was used to describe pearls from 1mm to 3mm. However, you can now get big Keshi Pearls from Australia which are over 10mm.




Mabe Pearls – These are half pearls which are cultivated in Japan, Australia and Indonesia with a flat base of mother-of-pearl and a dome of pearl nacre.

Freshwater Pearls and Keshi Pearls are composed entirely of pearl nacre, whilst other saltwater cultured  pearls have a shell nucleus. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but covers most of the more common pearls available.
 
 
Photos courtesy of:
Rouge River Beads
HappyBeadingSupply
Beadlady5
 

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Bead Types - Pearls
1 March 2010, 12:48 pm
Source: Jennifer Mercer, Handmade News Columnist
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