I recently came across a forum post titled “Cultured vs. Freshwater Pearls,” and it immediately caught my attention. I wanted to clear up a few points that often get misunderstood.
First, freshwater pearls are cultured pearls. There isn’t a separate category here — freshwater refers to where they’re grown, not whether they’re cultured. Another claim in that post was that freshwater pearls can’t be perfectly round or have a mirror-like luster. That simply isn’t true.
While most freshwater pearls on the market don’t have those traits, there are freshwater pearls that are perfectly round, highly lustrous, and even investment grade. They’re rare, not typical, and that’s exactly what makes them special. I know this firsthand because I work with them and carry pieces like this.
So to sum it up: freshwater pearls are cultured, and yes — they can be perfectly round, have mirror-like luster, and be high quality. They’re just harder to find, which is why many people don’t realize they exist.
First, freshwater pearls are cultured pearls. There isn’t a separate category here — freshwater refers to where they’re grown, not whether they’re cultured. Another claim in that post was that freshwater pearls can’t be perfectly round or have a mirror-like luster. That simply isn’t true.
While most freshwater pearls on the market don’t have those traits, there are freshwater pearls that are perfectly round, highly lustrous, and even investment grade. They’re rare, not typical, and that’s exactly what makes them special. I know this firsthand because I work with them and carry pieces like this.
So to sum it up: freshwater pearls are cultured, and yes — they can be perfectly round, have mirror-like luster, and be high quality. They’re just harder to find, which is why many people don’t realize they exist.
