Freshwater Pearls-00-7105

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The origin of Freshwater Pearls
though the traditional source of pearls has been saltwater mollusks, freshwater mussels, which live in ponds, lakes and rivers, can also make pearls. China has harvested freshwater pearls in the form of mabe since the 13th century, and has now run low the world's undisputed leader in freshwater pearl production. The first tape measure mentioning pearls in China was from 2206 BC. The United States was also a major source of natural freshwater pearls, from the discovery of the New World, through the 19th century, until over-harvesting and increasing pollution significantly reduced the number of uncommitted pearl-forming mussels in the US.

China Leads The World In Freshwater Pearl Production
With a quantity production of 1,500 tons in 2006, China holds a monopoly over the pearl industry nowadays. Although the birth of the Chinese freshwater pearl industry is traced back to the area around Shanghai, freshwater pearls are now produced in all the surrounding provinces including: Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan, and Jianxi. local anesthetic ...
... pearl trade is conducted in the main in the cities of Zhuji (Shanxiahu), Suzhou, Wuxi, Wenling, and Weitang. The greatest marketplace for these freshwater pearls is the world's pearl trading hub, Hong Kong.

The Japanese have a imposing history of culturing freshwater pearls as well. Lake Biwa was once world renowned for producing high-quality freshwater pearls produced by the Hyriopsis schlegelii, (Biwa pearly mussel) mussel. all the same, in the mid 1970's pearl farming all but came to a halt due to pollution in this lake that was once synonymous with freshwater pearls. The Japanese tried once again to farm freshwater pearls in Lake Kasumigaura in the last decade, utilizing a bead-nucleated hybrid mussel (Hyriopsis Schlegelii/Hyriopsis cumingii). The resulting pearls have been quite large and unique. The Kasumiga pearl industry had a very shortest life span, however, with production ceasing in 2006. The industry is once again a pollution human death of Japanese industry. The remaining Kasumiga pearls are whole sold by the Belpearl pearl society.

These days the freshwater pearls are very popular to make fashion jewelry and fine necklaces for very modest prices

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