The Debate: Tissue or Bead Nucleation? The Pros and Cons of Each
Tissue Nucleation
Pros:
1
Produces a solid nacre cultured pearl that is indistinguishable from the original, real, natural, wild, pearls
2
The resultant pearls can be judged by any of the original, authentic, pearl standards for natural pearls.
3
Tissue-nucleated pearls are far more likely to have the old fashioned excellent luster qualities of “like “orient” than bead nucleated pearls of any quality.
4
These are only cultured pearls that are acceptable to the old fashioned pearl experts. For instance anything but natural pearls is outlawed for sale in Bahrain
5
The only cultured pearl acceptable as a sacred gemstone to Hindus
6
There is a lower death rate of mollusks at nucleation, because tissue nucleation without the bead is a less stressful process to the scallop
7
The best quality pearls cultured this way need little to no artificial enhancements, unlike even the best quality bead nucleated akoyas.
8
Tissue nucleated cultured freshwater pearls have not yet been hyped; they are just a good buy for the knowledgeable.
9
The best of this type of pearl is poised to move up in value.
10
Freshwater pearls, like-for-like, hold their value far better than akoyas. ZE
11
CFWP are low tech and easier to raise, such as the circumstances of the average Chinese farmer
Cons:
1
These pearls take longer to culture and thus, are not as profitable as quickly as bead nucleated
2
There will be a higher rate of off-round pearls, unless human culturing techniques can intervene.
3
It is a process relatively new-to-mass-production, and the best round pearls are not well known compared to top-market branded akoyas.
4
The major CFWP from China have no Mystique and low quality CFWP are "common as dirt", both of which facts have become part of the PR machine of the Japanese and are accepted as fact –as are many other pearl myths
5
The lower quality pearls are subjected to same artificial enhancements as ALL bead nucleated pearls are. See below for more on that.
Bead Nucleation
Pros
1
A shell bead nucleus practically guarantees an almost round pearl, with proper culture.
2
Since the bead core is more than 95% of the pearl’s volume, there is a shorter growing period in the host than for than tissue culture.
3
Bead nuclei= bigger profits, sooner.
4
Bead nucleated pearls have Major Mystique; provided by the Mikimoto company. All other purveyors of Mystiqued marine pearls, esp. Paspaley, have been able to use MikiM’s marketing style for almost a century.
5
They are most peoples’ current idea of what a pearl is.
6
Bead nucleated marine pearls have snob appeal.
7
They satisfy the craving for a luxury item in a way that a less expensive pearl cannot
8
They have been the biggest selling pearls for 100 years- in fact they have been the only game in town for 100 years.
9
They will continue to be an important share of the market for the foreseeable future.
Cons
1
Built in obsolescence. Even the thickest layer of nacre will eventually wear down to the bead, if the pearls are worn long enough.
2
All cultured akoyas and most other cultured marine pearls that have visited Japan have artificially enhanced luster which is just on the surface -
3
The artificial luster will also begin to wear off quite soon, if the pearls are worn, even on the best of strands.
4
Since the bead core is more than 95% of the pearl’s volume, there is a shorter growing period in the host than for than tissue culture
5
This = bigger profits, sooner, which benefits the growers and merchants, but not the buyers.
6
The standards for thickness of nacre have decreased several times over the years. The nacre on akoyas is thinner than it used to be. It’s down to .4mm on the radius or .8 on the diameter. Out of 7-8mm, this is a very thin skin. On 10mm, it is even worse.
7
Bead nucleated pearls cannot be judged by ancient pearl grading standards because the luster is different on a thin layer of nacre. Real “orient” is almost impossible. Pinking” and suchlike enhancements are used to simulate overtones. Water refers to the depth of translucency, but can’t be judged in the less than 1mm thickness of nacre of the akoyas.
8
The Japanese PR machine invented a new Pearl grading standard which extols roundness and lack of surface blemishes above all other qualities. (roundness is the only criteria most solid-core pearls have trouble meeting, though some do).
9
Bead nucleating is traumatic to the scallop and there is a high death rate from it.
10
They are not the best value for the money, especially if one pays for brand names.
11
Bead nucleated pearls are not considered to be pearls at all by the natural pearl buffs, but synthetic pearls
12
None of the arguments for bead nucleation actually speak in favor of quality. ZE
please make suggestions, both to add to the list and to improve the wording.
Thanks!
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