Gentle Curve Freshwater Pearl Necklace 5mm–5.5mm 18K Rose Gold

This is a design that evokes a sense of tenderness at first glance. The "Gentle Curve" draws inspiration from the natural shape of a smile, stringing together five natural freshwater pearls with a delicate 18K rose gold chain. They elegantly float along the collarbone, offering just the right amount of luster and presence. Each pearl measures approximately 5–5.5mm in diameter. We carefully select pearls with clean surfaces, fine luster, and uniform shapes, arranged in a consistent size to create a natural sense of rhythm, embodying a soft design vocabulary within a minimalist aesthetic. The sliding clasp allows for subtle adjustments in position, effortlessly enhancing your style whether worn alone or layered with other pieces. All pearls are perfectly round and high-luster Akoya-grade pearls. Please choose the size that best suits your face shape and styling needs. [As we are a factory that produces our own pearls and manufactures our own jewelry, all pearl sizes are produced in limited quantities. Because pearl cultivation requires time, certain sizes may be temporarily out of stock due to harvest availability or impacts from seawater and farming conditions. Therefore, some styles may experience temporary stock shortages. Please inquire about stock availability before placing an order.] Our pearls are sourced from two major production areas, Japan and China, depending on the variety. All are processed and crafted in our professional jewelry workshops in China, ensuring stable quality, exquisite craftsmanship, and the perfect expression of the pearls' natural luster and charm. 🔹 Japanese Origin | Akoya (Sea of Japan) Saltwater Pearls, True *Matama* Pearls Akoya pearls are the most representative type of saltwater pearl. They are primarily cultivated in regions of Japan such as Mie, Kumamoto, and Ehime, with the Seto Inland Sea coast being particularly renowned. Akoya pearls are nurtured by the **Pinctada fucata** oyster. Due to the small size of the oyster, each shell can only produce one pearl, and it requires approximately 3 years of meticulous cultivation, resulting in relatively scarce production, as well as high quality and price. Akoya pearls are nucleated, meaning they possess extremely high roundness. Their luster is cool, captivating, and bright, earning them the nickname "little light bulbs" in the pearl world, highly favored in high-end jewelry. Their surfaces often exhibit the natural texture of "orange peel" patterns. If you choose a special grade (e.g., with a Japanese certificate), they are nearly flawless with even more transparent luster. Colors include cherry blossom pink, pure white, blue-pink, high-cool blue light, aurora gold, queen color, and more. Additionally, there are rare *Matama* colors, a variant of Akoya with a natural purplish-pink iridescence, highly sought after by collectors. 🔹 Chinese Origin | Freshwater Cultured Pearls China is the world's largest producer of freshwater pearls, with production concentrated in Zhejiang, Hunan, Jiangsu, and Anhui. Freshwater pearls are primarily cultivated in large bivalves such as the triangle shell mussel, and a single mussel can yield dozens of pearls simultaneously, resulting in significantly higher production than saltwater pearls. In the past decade, with substantial advancements in cultivation techniques and selection standards, high-quality freshwater pearls have achieved roundness, nacre tightness, and luster comparable to Akoya grades. Although nucleated cultivation is common, top-grade freshwater pearls can achieve near-perfect roundness, possess a warm and translucent luster, exhibit strong orient, and are more affordably priced, making them a highly cost-effective choice for daily wear and designer jewelry. Whether you choose Akoya saltwater pearls or Chinese freshwater pearls, all products are finished in our Chinese processing workshop, ensuring that every piece meets jewelry-grade standards from raw material to craftsmanship, adding an elegant touch to your daily life. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54586131810_8f2fee49cc_b.jpg (In the Pearl Grading Guide: The circled sections can serve as a reference standard for the pearls in our store.) https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54586035868_cf01f90df0_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54585793436_ddd2e63e51_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54585797431_701d282b24_b.jpg 💡 Wearing and Care Recommendations ・Avoid direct contact of pearls with perfumes, alcohol, lotions, etc. ・Gently wipe with a clean, soft cloth after each wear. ・Store separately to avoid contact with hard objects like metal. 📦**Process Description:** After placing your order, we will order from our overseas supplier, begin setting stones, and ship to Taiwan. As the factory is located overseas, production and logistics will take approximately 7 days. 💖 Follow us for the latest gemstone jewelry information. 📌 Latest arrivals on Pinkoi. 💌 Feel free to message us for custom orders if you have a specific color or type of gemstone in mind. Unsure whether to choose freshwater or Akoya pearls? Here's a comparison: I. Origin & Cultivation Akoya Pearls Akoya pearls are saltwater cultured pearls, primarily from Japan, but also cultivated in Vietnam and China. The Akoya pearl oyster is the *Pinctada fucata*, which requires a high-salinity, complex oceanic environment. Typically, one oyster yields only one pearl. The Akoya cultivation cycle is relatively long, about 3-5 years. Akoya's annual output is lower, accounting for about 10% of global pearl production (total saltwater pearls). Akoya was the first commercially produced saltwater cultured pearl, beginning in the early 1900s. Saltwater cultured pearls (including Akoya) are usually nucleated, with a spherical bead core inserted into the oyster. Freshwater Pearls Freshwater pearls are cultured in freshwater environments like lakes and rivers, primarily in the Yangtze River basin in China, such as Zhejiang, Hunan, and Jiangsu. The main host for freshwater pearls is the triangle shell mussel, grown in stable water conditions. One mussel can produce 10-40 or 30-50 pearls. Most freshwater pearls are naturally formed within the mussel without a bead core (primarily nucleated-free cultivation), which often leads to irregular shapes. The freshwater pearl cultivation cycle is relatively short, about 1-3 years. Freshwater pearls account for the vast majority of global pearl production, about 95%. Nucleated freshwater cultured pearls are also known as "Edison" pearls. Natural pearls and nucleated-free cultured pearls are composed almost entirely of nacre. II. Appearance - Shape & Size Shape: Due to the insertion of a round bead core during cultivation and a relatively thin nacre layer that helps maintain roundness, Akoya pearls usually achieve very round shapes with a high roundness rate. Over 90% of high-quality Akoya pearls are nearly perfectly round. The roundness of Akoya pearls that consumers encounter is generally good. Freshwater cultured pearls (mainly nucleated-free) are naturally formed without a bead core, making their shapes more prone to being oval or irregular. Over 80% of freshwater pearls on the market are oval, flattened oval, or baroque shapes, with a lower proportion of perfect rounds. As they are nucleated-free, perfectly round freshwater pearls are extremely rare; near-round is considered the highest roundness grade. Nucleated freshwater cultured pearls (Edison pearls) have sizes similar to saltwater pearls but lower roundness. Size: Akoya pearls are smaller, with typical pearl sizes ranging from 6-9mm. Commercial production often focuses on 6-8mm or 5-8mm. 8mm is considered a good size, with the largest Akoya pearls reaching 10-11mm. The larger the size of an Akoya pearl, the more precious it is. Even a difference of 1mm, for example, between 7-8mm and 8-9mm Akoya pearls, can significantly impact the price. Freshwater cultured pearls typically range in diameter from 5-12mm. Nucleated freshwater pearls (Edison pearls) can reach sizes of 12-20mm. South Sea pearls are commonly found between 10-16mm, with those exceeding 16mm being relatively rare and precious. III. Appearance - Color Akoya pearls are primarily white. Common overtones include pink, light blue-green, and light yellow-green, with pink being the most popular. Akoyas also come in blue tones (like *Matama*) and yellow tones (like aurora queen, aurora gold). Saltwater pearls (including Akoya) do not come in purple. Pearl colors originate from minerals or natural pigments secreted by the oyster. Freshwater cultured pearls are mainly white, pink, and light purple. Purple is a unique color for freshwater pearls, derived from carotenoids in the triangle shell mussel. Nucleated freshwater cultured pearls (Edison pearls) can exhibit deep purple or bronze colors. Freshwater pearls do not come in pure black or deep gold. Some colors may be treated through bleaching or dyeing. IV. Appearance - Luster Pearl luster is one of the most important factors determining quality, and even its soul. Luster is related to the thickness and quality of the nacre layers. The stronger the luster, the more precious the pearl and the higher its price. Luster is the most significant value factor for pearls. Akoya pearls are known for their exceptionally high and beautiful luster, earning them the title "little light bulbs of the human world." Their luster is strong, capable of sharp reflections and clear imaging. In top-quality comparisons, Akoya's mirror-like luster can even surpass that of South Sea pearls. High-quality pieces can reflect a person's face. Freshwater cultured pearl luster is relatively softer, primarily exhibiting diffuse reflection, soft like silk. Some high-quality freshwater pearls can achieve good luster, reaching 70%-80% of saltwater pearls. Certain high-grade freshwater pearls can attain "extremely strong luster." Freshwater pearl luster is shallower, with weaker refractive effects. GUILD grades pearl luster into four levels: Very good, Good, Fair, and Poor. V. Appearance - Surface Quality Naturally formed pearls typically have minor surface blemishes. The fewer blemishes a pearl has, the higher its quality. Perfectly flawless pearls are extremely rare and command very high prices. Akoya pearls generally have high surface smoothness, with blemishes mostly appearing as tiny pinpricks. Freshwater pearls may exhibit growth lines such as striations or indentations on their surface. Surface quality is divided into four grades: Very good (near flawless), Good (minor blemishes), Fair (moderate blemishes), and Poor (numerous blemishes). Blemish level is one of the factors in determining pearl quality. VI. Physical Characteristics - Nacre Thickness & Durability Nacre thickness is a crucial factor in evaluating the quality of nucleated cultured pearls. Nacre thickness affects the pearl's beauty and durability. If the nacre layer is too thin, it can impact luster, and friction may cause it to lose its shine or even "peel." Akoya pearls have a relatively thin nacre layer compared to other types of saltwater cultured pearls, typically ranging from 0.15mm to 0.55mm. 0.5mm is considered a thick nacre for Akoya. According to GUILD standards, Akoya with a nacre thickness greater than 0.4mm is of better quality. Akoya is most sensitive to nacre thickness. Akoya's thinner nacre layer helps maintain its round shape. Freshwater cultured pearls (mainly nucleated-free) typically have a nacre thickness of 0.3mm to 0.8mm. The internal structure of nucleated-free freshwater pearls is almost entirely composed of nacre. Prolonged wear of freshwater pearls may lead to a gradual loss of luster due to friction, resulting in a relatively shorter lifespan. Nucleated freshwater cultured pearls (Edison) have thicker nacre layers, reaching 0.8-3mm. Overall, saltwater pearls have thicker nacre layers and longer lifespans. Saltwater pearls (like South Sea, Tahitian) typically have nacre layers ranging from 0.8-3mm. South Sea pearls can have nacre up to 2mm, which is 60 to 100 times that of Akoya. VII. Daily Wear & Suitability Akoya pearls, with their high luster, roundness, and classic white tones, are a very popular choice for everyday wear. They are suitable for versatile necklace designs that exude elegance, nobility, and classic temperament. They are also appropriate for formal occasions, weddings, and business gifts. Freshwater cultured pearls, due to their affordability (thanks to China's high production volume and cultivation methods) and diverse colors (especially baroque shapes), are a popular choice for daily commutes and casual wear. High-quality freshwater pearls (extremely strong luster, near-round, very minor blemishes) are visually indistinguishable from saltwater pearls to the naked eye and offer high cost-effectiveness, making them ideal for daily wear. They are suitable for students, new professionals, or baroque pearl enthusiasts. If you have a limited budget and prioritize daily wear, high-quality freshwater pearls are an excellent option. From a purely functional perspective, high-quality freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls offer very little difference in user experience.