FW Pearls from Central America?

[operavopera]

I bought some reasonably priced FW pearls in Costa Rica. Are there actually pearls from Central America or are they imported from China and Japan? If there are, would they look any different? I have not seen a color like these and they are not dyed.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Opera,

There are freshwater pearls from Central America many of which are poached naturals and a few of them are cultured using the Chinese model. Often the naturals are cheaper than the cultured ones. If you paid less than US$ 200.00 for a strand of pebbly pearls under 6mm they are imported from China or local naturals. The colors of local naturals are indistinguishable from natural colors of Chinese freshwater cultured pearls.

Zeide

[MABE BRAZIL]

Hi Zeide,
do you know the species that are cultivated in Central America. I knew only about the salt water Pinctada mazatlanica.
Regards

Ricardo

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Ricardo,

No I do not know the exact species but have heard that there is some freshwater pearl farming going on in Mexico.

Zeide

[MABE BRAZIL]

Thanks Zeide!!
Actually I am looking for information about water quality in freshwater culture (more precisely hardness, mg/l of CaCO3). I will search this freshwater culture in Mexico.
Thanks again

Ricardo