You may have heard that most pearls are found in oysters that live in saltwater; however, this is a misconception. Mollusks that live in freshwater lakes and rivers can create pearls as well. China has been harvesting freshwater pearls for centuries. As a matter of fact, the first record in China mentioning pearls was in 2006 BC.
Features of freshwater black pearls:
- Not as lustrous as saltwater black pearls
- Wide variety of shapes
- Several colors
Freshwater black pearls are:
- Durable
- Resist chipping
- Resistant against wear
- Resistant against degeneration