During the Han Dynasty, pearls were categorized into South Pearls and North Pearls based on their geographical location. South pearls were mainly represented by the saltwater pearls produced in the waters of the Hepu region of Guangxi; north pearls referred to freshwater pearls.
For about 7,500 years before the Qing Dynasty, the northern pearls (freshwater pearls) had been the exclusive tribute of the emperors of the great kings of all dynasties.?
The place of freshwater pearls in history is thus evident.
In modern times, the mention of freshwater pearls, may be associated with cheap souvenirs in tourist areas. And has a "small bulb" known as the Japanese Akoya pearls, known as the "queen of pearls" Tahitian black pearls and other saltwater pearls, has become synonymous with pearl quality.
Freshwater pearls have a high yield, so the quality varies. If only from this point of view to freshwater pearls and cheap pearls equated, it is too one-sided.
In 2008, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China (SAC) **** issued a national standard for pearl grading - GB∕T18781-2008, which stipulates that freshwater pearls should be graded in six aspects: color, size, shape, luster, finish, match, and quality. The color, size, shape, luster, finish, and match.
As compared to saltwater pearls, I have added another aspect: the thickness of the bead layer.
Here are the 7 aspects.
1
Color
There are many reasons for the variety of colors in pearls, but most of them are also due to the origin. The abundance of trace elements in lakes and rivers is the main reason for the richness of color in freshwater pearls.
The most common colors of freshwater pearls are white (about 80%), pink (orange) and purple, with a few "odd colors" such as gold and brown. Due to the different body colors and accompanying colors (this will be followed by a separate article to talk about the "tri-color spectrum" of the pearl), and then derived from a variety of different colors.
Freshwater pearls therefore have the widest color range of all pearls.
In particular, the color purple.
Freshwater pearls cultured without nucleus will also have purple, but it is a light purple; and in recent years with the appearance of saltwater pearls, but the essence of the freshwater pearl "Edison pearl", its purple is a very intense deep purple, if there is also a very strong luster and halo, it is the top of the freshwater pearl. The quality is not inferior to saltwater pearls, but also cost-effective.
For color, there is only a difference between preference and superiority.
Choose a color that suits your skin tone and temperament, and be careful not to buy artificially dyed pearls.
2
Size
Nowadays, the mother of freshwater pearls is generally used more sail mussels - commonly known as mussels, pearl mussels; culturing methods (only said that non-nucleated cultured) are also different, so the main factors affecting the size of the pearl or the time of cultivation and the size of the mother of pearl.
The diameter of freshwater pearls ranges from 2mm to 12mm. The so-called "seven into the pearl, eight into the treasure", generally 6mm below the pearl will not be included in the category of jewelry-grade pearls, 7 ~ 9mm audience more, 10mm is already very rare. The higher up, the rarer the quantity, and the price is also exponentially increased.
Here is the popularization - the national standard stipulates that the size of the round, round, nearly round pearls to the minimum diameter to express.
Pearls are not like gold, diamonds, grams, carats to determine the value of pearls is to see the grade.
Therefore, there is no such thing as the bigger the pearl, the more valuable it is, and then the bigger the pearl, if the shape is not good, the skin is not polished, the same can not be sold for a price.
3
Shape
This is probably the main reason why the value of most freshwater pearls does not go up.
Freshwater pearls are mostly cultured without nuclei, and their shape depends on the natural wrapping of the nacreous layer inside the mussel, which makes them relatively rare. Since ancient times, there has been a "round pearl" saying; in the pearl rating, under the same conditions, the more round the higher grade.
The common shapes of freshwater pearls are: round, oval, oblate and baroque.
Round shapes are more common; some oval pearls in teardrop or pear shapes are also uniquely beautiful.
The teardrop-shaped ones are suitable for making pendants, with a sense of falling power; the bun-shaped ones are suitable for making earrings, changing the style of small earrings, which is eye-catching.
Baroque pearls are also very renaissance flavor. Unadorned natural shape, through the purest charm.
4
Gloss
According to the national standard, all categories of pearls, gloss has four levels: very strong A, strong B, medium C, weak D. The general industry is said to be very strong light, strong light, medium light, weak light.
There is a relatively easy way to distinguish: the pearl from the strong light source (generally the counter is a strong light source, so you can get elsewhere to observe), look at the reflection of the human face in the pearl surface, the four levels correspond to the five senses clear, the five senses are visible, the face is visible, the face of the fuzzy invisible.
The above method is just a simple judgment, not an accurate judgment. To accurately judge the level of gloss is actually still relatively difficult, you need to see more, to have a feeling.
It is generally believed that the luster of freshwater pearls is weaker than that of saltwater pearls, but in fact, there is a misunderstanding brought about by the comparison of non-equivalent things.
Freshwater pearls of good quality are not inferior to saltwater pearls. So much so that some merchants take freshwater pearls as Akoya to sell. Because the same quality and size of the Akoya is about 4 to 5 times more expensive than freshwater pearls.
(Can you tell if it's an Akoya or a freshwater pearl?).
5
Finish
The finish of a pearl is like a girl's face. If the face has blemishes, spots, wrinkles, if no one wants it, I'm afraid it will have to be "sold cheap".
Ahem, this analogy is not appropriate, after all, the girl not only look at the face, but also look at the heart of it.
Back to the pearls. Freshwater pearls are prone to have a "waistline" on the surface.
The national standard is divided into five levels of finish.
Level A: Flawless.
The surface is smooth and delicate to the naked eye, and it is extremely difficult to observe any surface flaws. Pearls have artificial intervention, but the growth process is natural, so there is no absolutely flawless pearl, after all, "no flaws not pearl", the naked eye to observe the smooth and delicate can be.
Level B: Flawless. There are very few surface blemishes, like pinpoints, which are difficult to observe with the naked eye.
Level C: small flaws. Smaller flaws, easily observed by the naked eye.
Level D: Flaw. The flaw is obvious and occupies less than a quarter of the surface area.
Level E: Heavy Flaw. The flaw is obvious and seriously occupies more than a quarter of the surface area.
6
Matching
We have two senses of beauty: symmetrical beauty and asymmetrical beauty.
And symmetrical beauty is sought in most cases.
A pair of pearl earrings or a string of pearl strands requires 2 and more pearls to match. Everything from size, shape, color, luster, and finish needs to look consistent.
But since it's hard to find ones that look exactly the same, you sometimes see gradient matches that are also creative.
7
Layer Thickness
Although it comes last, this is what I consider to be the most significant advantage of freshwater pearls - the fact that freshwater pearls are cultured without a nucleus brings with it the fact that the nacre is as thick as the pearl is large.
(Freshwater nucellar cultured pearls on the left, saltwater pearls on the right)
Generally speaking, the thicker the nacre layer, the stronger the luster of the pearl.
Of course, there are other factors as well, such as the denseness of the bead layer wrapping - which is why saltwater pearls have a better luster even though the bead layer is not as thick as freshwater pearls.
You will hear stories like this - a young lady bought back a lustrous saltwater pearl, but it peeled off shortly after the time ...... and there is no such trouble when you buy freshwater pearls.
Overall, the quality of saltwater pearls is higher than freshwater pearls is an indisputable fact. But there is no need to think that freshwater pearls are cheap pearls because of this.
For those who are new to playing with pearls, freshwater pearls are undoubtedly the best choice. First of all, it is easier to identify the authenticity; secondly, there is no need to worry about freshwater pearls as much as saltwater pearls, which are dyed to look like freshwater pearls.
Freshwater pearls are of different grades, each with its own unique characteristics, and there are more choices, depending on your heart.
The above position represents the author's own views.
The above position only represents the author's own opinion.