Different Types of Pearl Earrings

Whether it is your mother, sister, daughter, aunt, wife, or girlfriend, giving gifts such as pearl earrings can relay the perfect message to any or all of those members of your life or family.

There are four main types of pearls that you can consider and look for while shopping for your gift, such as Freshwater, Akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian pearls. Each of these types of pearls are unique in their own way, and you should consider the type of pearl when preparing to purchase a set of pearl earrings for your loved ones.

Freshwater Pearls

These pearls come from freshwater mussels, and they are not distinctly round in a variety of colors. Most believe that these types of pearls are exactly round and white in color, but this is not always the case. There are close to 31 states that have freshwater pearls available for production.

Akoya Pearls

These pearls come from akoya oysters that can be found in Asia. Their default color is white, but they can be a cream, rose, or silver color also. They are also smaller than most pearls, ranging from 2 to 11 millimeters in size and are distinctively round.

South Sea Pearls

These pearls are much larger in size than the others above because the creature producing the pearl can grow to be quite large also. They come from an oyster called Pinctada maxima. The range on the size of these pearls is anywhere between 9 to 20 millmeters, and the colors range from white, gold, and silver that is much different from the other types of pearls.



Sharon Austin writes articles about women and their interests--home, fashion, jewelry, career, kids, health, and hobbies. Her latest blog talks about her fascination for fashion accessories, particularly pearl bracelets and pearl earrings. Read on to discover more about pearl jewelry.