Shapes of Freshwater Pearls
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Shapes of Freshwater Pearls
Natural freshwater pearls are rarely perfectly round. Most pearls, both natural and cultured, are renowned for their beautiful color and lustrous texture. Freshwater pearls are available in an array of colors including white, silvery white, pink, red, salmon, copper, bronze, lavender, brown, purple, blue, green, yellow and cream. White is the most common color in freshwater pearls but the most desirable pearls are the pastel pinks, roses and lavenders. The varied colors develop as a result of the species of mussel, water quality, and the position of the pearl in the shell. Generally, the pearl will take on the color of the shell in which it forms. It can be difficult to create a matched strand because of the wide range of pastel colors. The shape of a cultured pearl is determined by the shape of shell of the mussel. The shapes found include rounds, eggs, drops, pears and buttons and a shape knows as a baroque. The baroque type includes several shapes like, nuggets, wings, hammers, twins, barrels round-a-circle, and rosebuds. The baroques are popular for use in beading, especially the nugget shape.
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