The Appeal of Freshwater Pearl Jewellery
Freshwater pearls originate from freshwater mussels, which live in ponds, lakes and rivers. Traditionally, they are produced in Japan and the United States on small scales but currently China dominates the freshwater pearl market. Production has greatly improved from the 1990s through to 2000s in China. According to the Times Online, China produces approximately 90% of pearl necklaces globally and with 1,600 tonnes of pearls produced annually, accounting for more than 95 per cent of world pearl production.
Prior to the 90s, China was accused for undermining the pearl market with poor quality pearls. Over the last two decades, China starts to commercial its pearl production processes and investing in R&D to eliminate mussel related diseases. China is now making much higher quality pearls at low costs, stirring its counterpart pearl markets. The high-end pearls from China are freshwater farmed, a process that has become increasingly automated, allowing producers to sell their pearls at lower prices.
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