A string of pearls can be an extravagant and exotic gift. But some pearls are more special than others. We’ll explain the differences between freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls from Phuket, Thailand, so you can be informed the next time you shop for pearls. We’ll also invite you to visit our showroom and view our Mook Sapam, South Sea, Akoya Tahitian, and freshwater pearl necklaces and other jewelry in Phuket.
We’ll look at freshwater pearls that are mostly farmed in China, Japan, and the US, and the four varieties of saltwater pearls farmed in Phuket (Thailand), Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, and Tahiti. These pearls include:
- Freshwater pearls
- South Sea Pearls
- Mook Sapam Pearls
- Akoya Pearls
- Tahitian Pearls
The saltwater pearls are farmed in the waters surrounding Phuket, Thailand. We’ll compare the pearls according to shape, value, and rarity.
Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater pearls are typically farmed from mollusks living in freshwater rivers, lakes and ponds, though they can also be found in brackish waters like estuaries. Compared to saltwater pearls, which are more likely to be closer to perfectly round, freshwater pearls are typically more irregular in shape and come in a wide range of sizes.
The color, size, and shape of the pearls is mainly governed by environmental factors like water temperature, quality and the pollutants in the water.
Characteristics
Color: Most freshwater pearls have a wide range of colors like their saltwater cousins. Creamy whites, soft pinks and pale pastel shades are the most abundant colors in freshwater pearls. Freshwater pearls are generally less lustrous and glossy than saltwater pearls, because their nacre (the outside surface) is thicker.
Size: Freshwater pearls can span a wide range of sizes from 5 mm to 10 mm or more.
Shape: The shape is the most defining characteristic of the freshwater pearl. They can be almost spherical or oblong and irregular in shape. In the pearl trade, the variety of shapes is referred to as oval, near-round, baroque, and button.
Mussels produce freshwater pearls, and these mussels can create more pearls at one time than saltwater oysters can. As a result of this abundance, and their relative lack of a lustrous finish, freshwater pearls are less expensive than saltwater pearls.
Saltwater Pearls
The saltwater pearls farmed in Phuket are some of the most desirable pearls in the world. They’ve thrived for years in the clean seawater. The South Sea Pearl, Tahitian Pearl, Mook Sapam Pearl and Akoya Pearl are prized for their uniform sizes and shapes, as well as their color and remarkable luster. They are generally more premium than freshwater pearls and more impressive.
Mook Sapam Pearl Characteristics
Mook Sapam pearls are cultivated until they reach the size of 13 mm in diameter before harvesting from the waters of Phuket. It takes approximately 12 months for them to reach maturity.
Color: Mook Sapam pearls display a variety of colors including creamy white, light blue tones, and golden tones. They also can display a unique rainbow coloring that makes them prized as jewelry.
Size: Mook Sapam pearls are some of the largest pearls, with an average size of 13 mm.
Shape: The pearls are loved by jewelers for their exotic hemispherical shape with little variation.
South Sea Pearl Characteristics
South Sea pearls are desired for their soft luster and exceptional size. They are native to the southern part of the equator between the Indian and Pacific Oceans and are harvested from Pinctada maxima oysters.
Color: South Sea pearls often vary between white and honey-colored shades.
Size: The pearls can range from 8 mm to 18 mm and larger.
Shape: South Sea pearls are known for their variety of shapes, with round, button, baroque, and circle shapes being common.
Akoya Pearl Characteristics
Akoya oysters rarely produce more than two pearls per harvest season, increasing their value. Their value in the marketplace is about the same as South Sea and Tahitian pearls. Still, they are among the most beautiful and valuable pearls in the world.
Color: The Akoya pearl offers a wide range of colors, including the coveted gold-colored pearl. The colors range from lustrous whites, grays, pinks, blue and silver overtones, to the coveted gold Akoya pearl.
Size: Akoya pearls are relatively small, with an average size of 7 mm. However, their small size, combined with their beautiful colors and uniform shape make them ideal for use in delicate, exquisite jewelry.
Shape: Currently, Akoya pearls are farmed in specimens as small as 3 mm up to the extremely rare 10 mm Akoya pearls. The pearls are often almost perfectly round, and their perfect shape and deep, lustrous appearance increase their value worldwide.
Tahitian Pearl Characteristic
Tahitian pearls are among the world’s most valuable because they’re the only pearls that offer a full spectrum of colors. Although Tahitian pearls are named after the islands of Tahiti, the oysters and pearls are farmed in areas including the Micronesian Islands, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, and the southern islands of Japan.
Color: Black-lip pearl oysters, which produce Tahitian pearls, have a colorful, rainbow-like mantle that exhibits the full range of colors of the pearls they produce. These pearls can come in all colors, from lustrous whites to the almost mythical black pearl. They also offer an almost iridescent luster that can be captivating and display a range of colors.
Size: Tahitian pearls and South Sea pearls are some of the largest in the world. Tahitian pearls range in size from 8 mm to an impressive 18 mm.
Visit Amorn Phuket Pearl
Amorn Phuket Pearl offers genuine cultured Mook Sapam, South Sea, Akoya and Tahitian pearls farmed at our pearl farm in Phuket. Visit and browse our showroom north of Phuket Town on route 402 on the east coast of the island. We have a pink freshwater pearl necklace at our showroom in Phuket that can be compared against the more stunning and valuable saltwater pearl jewelry on display. Explore the world of pearl farming at Amorn Phuket Pearl on your next visit to Phuket.
