Freshwater pearls are usually found in mussels that inhabit the region of Japan, China and the United States. Freshwater pearls range in a variety of colors: white, tan, gray, pink, peach, and plum. Their hue depends on the mollusk used to culture the pearls; however, the darker colors in freshwater pearls are usually dyed. Fresh water pearls were typically baroque and asymmetric in shape. However, top quality freshwater pearls now rival salt water pearls in terms of roundness, iridescence and luster. In fact, with the advancement of cultured pearl technology, especially revolutionized by the Chinese, it is difficult to distinguish high quality fresh water pearls from salt water pearls. As a result, the value of fresh water pearls now rival that of salt water pearls. The popularity of fresh water pearls today makes them a wonderful choice in lieu of salt water pearls because they are more affordable than their counterpart.
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