[Kaywal]

Or, are they sometimes bead nucleated?
Thank You

[pattye]

Hi Kaywal,

Yes, both. You will find photos of the bead-nucleated ones on various threads. I can't give specifics. Also many photos of the tissue nucleated.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[Kaywal]

Thank You Pattye!

[pattye]

Under freshwaters--try thread FW Pearl Nucleation? also chinese & Japanese Freshwater photos. Of course there are more. This is just a start----

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[pattye]

I should have mentioned a piece of tissue is also inserted with the bead.

[pernula]

Hi Kaywal,

Welcome to the forum. I am not an expert, but shall give it a try. On the left column of Pearl-Guide, under Freshwater Pearls, there is a good description of tissue nucleated cultured freshwater pearls and bead nucleated Japanese freshwater pearls.

Not included in that article, but may be relevant, is that Chinese freshwater pearl farmers also insert flat discs of various shapes (round, star, petal) to culture coin pearls, star-shaped pearls, etc. After the first harvest of these disc-nucleated pearls, the mussels are sometimes inserted with beads to make pearls that tend to have tails. The bead material may be of controversial origin--but there is no final word yet. There is an excellent article in the "In the News" section of Pearl-Guide by Jeremy Shepherd and Doug Fiske on this and other topics.

You can tell the tissue nucleated pearls apart from the bead/disc nucleated one. The first type from China tends to be oval, baroque, or round. The second type tends to be coin, star, interesting shapes, or round with tail. The Japanese nucleated freshwater pearls have distinct colors and textures that set them apart from Chinese cultured freshwater pearls. Apparently it does get harder to distinguish for non-experts...

Cheers,
Pernula

[Kaywal]

Thank you Pernula!
I've got some reading to do. I really prefer the idea of tissue nucleation. I just purchased a freshwater pearl bracelet from Pearlparadise.com, and I'm hoping that these are solid nacre. I looked on their site for that information, but I couldn't find it. I'm thinking that if they are farmed in China, that they will be tissue nucleated?

I've got lots to learn. Thank you both for your information.

[Pearl_dreams]

Yes, they will be solid nacre, tissue nucleated.

[Kaywal]

Thanks, I can't wait to see them!

[jerin]

Originally Posted by Kaywal

Thank you Pernula!
I've got some reading to do. I really prefer the idea of tissue nucleation. I just purchased a freshwater pearl bracelet from Pearlparadise.com, and I'm hoping that these are solid nacre. I looked on their site for that information, but I couldn't find it. I'm thinking that if they are farmed in China, that they will be tissue nucleated?

I've got lots to learn. Thank you both for your information.

Hi and welcome to the forum:
It is not that common as yet, that freshwater pearls are both tissue and bead nucleated but it is done on larger pearls (look under threads called Pearling Farming and Pearl Industry News). However, the ones with tails are quite distinct in their looks, one name of those types is called "Fireballs" but they have several different names.

Standard for PP and our other vendors so far is that the Freshwater pearls are always tissue nucleated only, i.e. 100% nacre.

Just put aside a lot of time and you will find everything that might be of interest for You.

[Caitlin]

Hi Pernula-Inge
Very good summary! And accurate info.

Hi kaywal
Technically the term should be "tissue only" nucleation, because the bead nuked also have a piece of tissue in there to start the pearl sac.
Bead nucleating round pearls is far from an exact science and they are usually more expensive and people let you know they are bead nuked in order to get the highest prices. The failed experiments-like fireballs- have a unique look to them. I really do not like the coins, stars etc either - most of them are sloppy looking and cheap, but even the good ones violate my solid nacre only policy for pearls I buy.

I really hope it will remain difficult and expensive to do with mostly sloppy results as I vastly prefer the solid nacre also. I hope it remains mostly solid nacre round pearls for at least a few more years.

[Kaywal]

Thank you Inge and Caitlin for the information.

I should say I prefer "tissue only" nucleation, rather than "tissue"--thanks for the clarification. I hope it remains mostly solid nacre round pearls for a few more years as well. Do you anticipate more bead nucleated freshwater pearls to enter the market in say, 3 years or so from now? Will it ultimately be less expensive(in the long run)or easier to farm bead nucleated freshwater round pearls? I would like to collect only solid nacre pearls.
Thanks
K

eta: just found this quote of yours (Caitlin) on another thread:

"That's why I have been saying that top quality freshwaters are an investment. Get them now, because when bead nucleating is a mature science/art in China, even the larger pearls will be done in a season and then the solid nacre two-four year pearls will be a thing of the past."

Answers my question, thanks!