Set freshwater pearls

This set of necklace and bracelet comes from a Pforzheim jewelry workshop. The matte shimmering freshwater cultured pearls come from shells that belong to the super genus Hyriopsis. The clasps are made of 925 silver. They are in the form of solid matte rings, one of which can be flipped open. The bracelet can also be used to extend the matching pearl necklace to 60 cm to wear it off the neck, for example over a turtleneck sweater.

Why is it that pearls are something very special for most of us? It’s not a question for scientific discourse. The delicate look, the spherical form, and the lustrous surface of the pearl – as well as the fact that the origin of this perfect shape is natural – give a piece of jewellery with pearls a value that exceeds the tangible value. Rare natural pearls occur in freshwater as well as saltwater mussels under circumstances that are not fully understood yet (astonishing in today’s thoroughly rationalised world) when a concentrated development of nacre is prompted.

In 1921 Kokichi Mikimoto developed a modern cultivation process for saltwater pearls and acquired important experience for the cultivation of the Akoya pearl. This new technique was of benefit for Japan and the north-west Pacific region, and in Oceania harvesting cultured pearls replaced the dangerous pearl diving. We chose from the large variety of pearls pearl jewelry that is typical for the different types of pearls and shows the almost perfect rounding of the Akoya pearls, the bright, snow-white luster of the comparatively small freshwater pearls, and the grandeur of the Tahiti cultured pearl.