After the read of this Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls article, you will know what are the differences between nucleated pearls and non-nucleated pearls, nucleated pearls vs. non-nucleated pearls, which is better.
The fundamental difference between nucleated pearls and non-nucleated pearls is the difference in cultivation methods.
Nucleated pearls are saltwater cultured pearls, and their farms are usually built on the seashore.
Nucleated pearls are freshwater cultured pearls, which are even more artificially cultivated. Because of their different growing environments, nucleated pearls and non-nucleated pearls have many different characteristics, features, and qualities. This is also their essential difference.
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls, the principle of formation
What are nucleated pearls?
Nucleated pearls are mainly South Seas gold pearls, South Seas white pearls, Tahitian black pearls, Akoya pearls, and Edison pearls.
How are nucleated pearls formed?
When the outer coat membrane of the mussel is invaded by foreign objects such as sand, parasites, etc., the epidermal cells will take the foreign object as the nucleus and fall into the connective tissue of the outer coat membrane.
This part of the epidermal cells will divide by itself, forming a pearl capsule that secretes nacre, day after day, layer after layer, wrapping the nucleus. After a long period of wrapping, it finally becomes a pearl. Such pearls are called nucleated pearls.
Artificial nucleated pearls:
In the pearl mussel coat membrane cut live epithelial cells (referred to as small pieces of cells), and mussel shell preparation of artificial nucleus, together with the implantation of mussel coat membrane connective tissue, implanted small pieces of cells, relying on the connective tissue to provide nutrients, around the artificial nucleus rapidly proliferating, the formation of the pearl capsule, secretion of nacreous, so as to generate artificial nucleated pearls.
Nucleated pearls are mostly saltwater pearls, with a growth period of about 2-3 years. Generally speaking, a mussel shell can only produce one pearl. Nucleated pearls are basically the same in shape as the nucleus, so most of them are bigger and rounder than non-nucleated pearls, with better luster and slightly higher prices.
What are non-nucleated pearls?
Non-nucleated pearls include artificially cultured non-nucleated pearls, wild non-nucleated pearls, and both freshwater and saltwater.
How are non-nucleated pearls formed?
Mussels outer coat membrane epidermis by pathological stimuli, part of the cell division and then separated, then encapsulated in its own secretion of organic material, while gradually into the outer coat membrane connective tissue, the formation of pearl capsule and then the formation of pearls.
Since there is no foreign body as the nucleus, it is called a non-nucleated pearl.
Artificial Non-nucleated pearls:
Artificially cultured non-nucleated pearls are formed by implanting small pieces of cells in the outer coat membrane of the mother shell, which triggers rejection and then secretes nacreous material to encapsulate the diseased area to form a pearl.
Wild non-nucleated pearls are formed when the mother-of-pearl mussel is unable to expel invading foreign matter (e.g. sand), which triggers the physiological function to secrete nacreous material to encapsulate the foreign matter and form a pearl.
Non-nucleated pearls, which are mostly used in freshwater pearl farming, are composed entirely of nacreous material, have a thicker nacreous layer, and have a slightly longer growing period of about 4-5 years. Multiple pearls can be produced from a single mussel shell.
Due to the lack of a nucleus, it is extremely difficult for non-nucleated pearls to form a round shape.
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls, what are the differences?
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls 1. Luster
The nacreous density of saltwater pearls is greater than that of freshwater pearls, so the pearls have a good luster and a strong sense of mirror.
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls 2. Nacre thickness
Conventional non-nucleated freshwater pearls are made up of 100% nacreous, so the pearl layer is thicker than the layer of nucleated saltwater pearls; according to international regulations, the nacreous nature of saltwater pearls must reach 0.3mm before they can be sold.
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls 3. Shape
Non-nucleated freshwater pearls have no external support out of their shape, it is difficult to form nucleated saltwater pearls of the same size and quality of roundness.
For the same round shape, nucleated saltwater pearls are generally more round than freshwater pearls, while the shape of freshwater pearls is more diverse.
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls 4. Size
Non-nucleated pearls are almost always grown from a female shell with a minimum diameter not less than the diameter of its nucleus.
The size of freshwater pearls ranges from 1mm to 18mm, while the size of saltwater pearls ranges from 6mm to 18mm. Freshwater pearls larger than 12mm are almost impossible to find, while round saltwater pearls around 12mm are much more common.
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls 5. Color
Freshwater pearls include almost all the color of the pearl, just part of the color is extremely rare, such as peacock green is also commonly known as black pearls, black freshwater pearl necklaces seen on the market is basically through the dyeing of the production;
Such as purple pink and other natural colors, saltwater pearls are not, but peacock green (black) is a unique color belonging to the saltwater pearls of Tahitian pearls.
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls 6. Trace element content
Freshwater pearls have a higher overall amino acid content due to the different years of growth. In fact, the composition of saltwater pearls and freshwater pearls is similar.
A variety of analyses have found that there is no fundamental difference between the composition of freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls, freshwater pearls have 13 kinds of amino acid content is higher than that of saltwater pearls, 2 kinds of the same, 3 kinds of amino acid content is lower than that of saltwater pearls, freshwater pearls, and saltwater pearls are the same chemical composition, and there are more studies proved this point.
What is the difference between nucleated pearls and non-nucleated pearls?
Non-nucleated pearls are artificially transplanted from the cell membrane of a mussel, with a nacreous layer from the inside out, all of which consists of nacreous material, and have a growth period of 4-5 years.
Non-nucleated cultured pearls are often referred to as freshwater pearls in the pearl trade, although the Edison pearls currently on the market are nucleated cultured freshwater pearls.
Nucleated pearls are generally saltwater pearls. Nucleated pearls are pearls formed by artificially inserting a core and allowing the pearl mussel to secrete nacreous material inside the body to encapsulate the core.
Non-nucleated pearls are without the core, directly stimulating the growth of mussels.
Nucleated pearls are implanted into the mother mussel with a nucleus beforehand, and the pearl layer grows along the nucleus to become a pearl, which makes the pearl layer thinner compared with that of non-nucleated pearls of the same size.
Nucleated Pearls vs. Non-nucleated Pearls, which is better?
Nucleated and non-nucleated pearls are just the difference between different culturing methods of pearls, they are the same as pearls, but they are not fundamentally different.
If you like a bigger pearl with a brighter luster, you should choose a saltwater pearl. If you prefer purple and pink pearls, and like delicate pearls, you should choose a freshwater pearl without a nucleus.
It is worth noting that in freshwater pearls, because there is no kernel, the pearl layer is thicker, so compared to seawater pearls, easier to maintain, and life is relatively longer. People should choose according to their own needs when buying.
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