Pearls have a pretty rich history and they have practically been around ever since the Egyptians first started learning how to make pyramids. They are one of the oldest and most well-known gems in the history of man and they are also a staple in jewelry boxes all over the world. For years most people have been getting their pearls from oysters, but not many of them might be aware of how valuable the ones from mussels are. They are just as valuable as cultured pearls, but sometimes you really can’t help but to ask if they are indeed worth the purchase?
You might have seen jewelry stores selling freshwater pearl beads by the dozens and have probably wondered whether or not they are worth buying. Well before we can answer that question let us first have a closer look at some of the things that makes freshwater pearls extremely valuable in the jewelry market. Compared to the pearls that are harvested from saltwater, freshwater pearls are able to produce more nacre. Nacre is a substance that gives pearls their skin and also adds more to their luster as well.
Pearls that have thicker nacre are not only more durable, but they are also more valuable as well. Whenever freshwater pearls get drilled, the tissue that is used to nucleate them either gets drilled out or dissolved and the result is a pearl that will last you for a very long time to come. We cannot say the same about saltwater pearls because their finished product still contains the nucleus inside of it.
Freshwater pearls are also much more affordable than their saltwater counterparts despite having pretty much the same quality and durability. They are also more abundant than saltwater pearls and this is largely in part due to how freshwater mollusks are able to produce more than two pearls at a time. In fact, it is very possible to harvest as many as 50 pearls in just one freshwater mollusk, thus make them more cost effective to grow. So to answer the question on whether or not freshwater pearl beads are worth buying, the answer to that is a big, fat yes!