Typically, freshwater pearl necklaces can range in size from 6 to 11 mm. They also come in a variety of colors, such as pink, white, rose, black, lavender, off white, cream, silver, bronze, and gray.

They have very good quality, and due to the large scale production of cultured freshwater pearls, the costs of necklaces and other pearl jewelry has turn out to be much more affordable than previously.

Freshwater pearls are a type of cultured pearl that originates from freshwater mussels. They can be had in a variety of shapes, all the way from rice shapes and flat flakes, to round and button, and are recognized for their enhanced quality and shine.

As the name hints, freshwater pearls are sourced from fresh waters, while saltwater pearls are sourced from salt waters. The pearls are actually a concretion which is produced from the shiny substance which lines many mollusk shells. This substance is referred to as nacre, or mother-of-pearl.

Nacre is composed of a form of calcium carbonate, and this is deposited in layers which are interspersed with organic material. The iridescence and the luster of mother-of-pearl is caused by a diffraction of light through these layers.

At the moment, China is the foremost commercial manufacturer of freshwater pearls. Other countries, such as Japan and the U.S. also produce them on a limited scale.

From the time of the discovery of the New World until the nineteenth century, the United States was also a principal producer of natural freshwater pearls and then the intense harvesting of the pearls plus more pollution, progressively reduced the amount of pearl-forming mussels which were obtainable.

French and English colonizers of North America found native Americans who were wearing pearls, and they also discovered freshwater pearls in the Ohio, Mississippi, and Tennessee River basins.

Freshwater pearl necklaces offer a more affordable alternative to the more expensive saltwater pearls, while still being a genuine pearl, and they can make a truly welcome gift.

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