Freshwater vs Akoya Pearls: A Buyer's Guide

Freshwater and akoya pearls differ in where they grow and how they are started. Freshwater pearls grow in mussels in lakes and rivers and are usually solid nacre through the middle, which gives them a soft, satiny glow and a wide range of shapes, sizes and colors. Akoya pearls grow in saltwater oysters around a small shell bead, which makes them rounder and sharper in shine — and more expensive strand for strand. Neither is fake; the better one is simply the one that suits how you actually dress.

At Sterling Arc we use cultured freshwater pearls and mother-of-pearl, set in solid S925 sterling silver. Here is the honest comparison, limits included.

What a freshwater pearl actually is

A freshwater pearl grows inside a freshwater mussel. A small piece of mantle tissue is placed inside, the mussel coats it in layer after layer of nacre, and a few years later there is a pearl. Because there is no bead at the center, most freshwater pearls are nacre nearly all the way through.

That matters in two ways. The glow tends to be softer and deeper — less hard mirror, more lit-from-within satin. And there is no thin outer coating to wear through at the drill hole, which is one reason freshwater pearls hold up well as everyday jewelry rather than once-a-year jewelry.

They also come in the widest range of shapes: round, near-round, oval, drop, and the irregular baroque shapes where no two are alike. Colors run from white and cream through soft peach and lavender. Most of the world's freshwater pearls are grown in China, which is part of why they cost less than saltwater pearls.

What an akoya pearl actually is

An akoya pearl grows in a saltwater oyster, traditionally in Japan and now in China as well. The difference is the nucleus: a small round bead of shell is inserted and the oyster coats it, so the nacre is a layer measured in fractions of a millimeter rather than the whole pearl.

That bead center is exactly why akoya pearls are prized: a round core produces a very round pearl, and tightly packed nacre over a hard bead reflects light almost like polished glass. If you are picturing the classic bridal strand — small, evenly matched, high-shine — you are picturing akoya.

The trade-offs are real too. Akoya pearls are usually smaller, typically 6 to 9 millimeters, and the color range is narrow: white or cream, often with a rose or silver overtone. Because the nacre is a layer over a bead rather than the body of the pearl itself, the surface rewards careful handling over a lifetime.

Freshwater vs akoya pearls, side by side

• Where they grow: freshwater mussels vs saltwater oysters.
• What is inside: usually solid nacre vs nacre over a shell bead.
• Shine: a soft glow vs a sharp reflection.
• Shape: round through baroque vs reliably round.
• Size: a wide range vs usually 6 to 9mm.
• Color: white, cream, peach and lavender vs white or cream with rose or silver overtones.
• Price: far more accessible vs more costly strand for strand.

Which one should you buy?

Choose akoya if what you want is one formal strand — the wedding necklace, the graduation gift, the piece that comes out for occasions. Nothing quite matches that glassy, perfectly-round look, and it is worth paying for if that is what you are after.

Choose freshwater if you want pearls you will actually wear on a Tuesday. The softer glow reads as modern rather than formal, and the price means a pearl piece can be an everyday thing instead of an heirloom you are slightly afraid of. That is the case for most of our sterling silver pearl jewelry.

Why we use cultured freshwater pearls

Price is the first reason: a cultured freshwater pearl lets us put genuine nacre on a solid S925 chain at a cost a person can justify wearing to work.

Design is the second. Baroque and drop-shaped cultured freshwater pearls have character — slight asymmetries, a little variation in surface and luster — and asymmetry is the point in the design language we work in, the same one behind a ginkgo leaf or a palace lantern. A row of identical spheres would fight it. You can see the alternative in our beaded necklaces, where pearls sit alongside stone rather than in a uniform strand.

A word on "cultured", because it puts some people off and it should not. Our pearls are real nacre grown inside a living mollusc, never plastic or imitation. "Cultured" simply means the pearl was started with a little human help — how virtually every pearl on the market today is grown. A truly natural pearl, formed with no human involvement at all, is a rarity that trades in the thousands, and we will never call ours that.

Mother-of-pearl is a different material again: the iridescent shell lining itself, cut and shaped, not a pearl. We use both, and name each for what it is. The silver holding them is solid S925 — 92.5% pure, stamped, nickel-free and hypoallergenic. In the platinum tone the color is the metal itself; the vintage gold option is a warm finish over the same solid S925. The same materials run through our pendant necklaces.

Caring for either kind

Both types are softer than the silver around them and dislike the same things: put them on last, after perfume and lotion have absorbed; take them off before showering or swimming; and never use a liquid silver dip or chemical cleaner on a piece with pearls in it — a soft, slightly damp cloth, dried immediately, is the whole routine.

FAQ

Are freshwater pearls real pearls?
Yes. Freshwater pearls are real nacre grown inside a living mollusc, never plastic or imitation. They are cultured, meaning the process was started with a little human help, which is how virtually every pearl on the market today is grown.

What is the main difference between freshwater and akoya pearls?
Freshwater pearls grow in mussels and are usually solid nacre, while akoya pearls grow in saltwater oysters as a nacre layer over a shell bead. That one difference drives the shape, the shine and the price.

Are akoya pearls better than freshwater pearls?
Akoya pearls are rounder and shinier and cost more, while freshwater pearls have a softer glow, more shape variety and a far lower price. Which is better depends entirely on whether you want one formal strand or pearls you can wear daily.

What kind of pearls does Sterling Arc use?
Sterling Arc uses cultured freshwater pearls and mother-of-pearl, set in solid S925 sterling silver that is nickel-free and hypoallergenic. We do not sell akoya pearls or natural pearls.

Can you wear freshwater pearls every day?
Yes, with basic care. Because freshwater pearls are usually solid nacre rather than a thin layer over a bead, they suit daily wear well — just keep them away from perfume, chlorine and chemical cleaners.

Related reads

• How to clean pearls at home without ruining them
• From palace lanterns to cinnabar: the Eastern art behind modern silver jewelry
• Does sterling silver tarnish? How to keep S925 bright

Choosing your first pearl piece

Start with something you can wear without thinking about it. Look through our pearl jewelry collection and see what you keep coming back to. New here? WELCOME10 takes 15% off your first order, with no minimum. We ship worldwide with tracking, and returns are open for 14 days.

— Peter, founder of Sterling Arc