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Recently, techniques have been developed to culture pearls in freshwater mollusks. These pearls are sometimes called "Biwa pearls" after the lake in Japan where they were first developed, but today that
name should only be used for cultured pearls from Lake Biwa.
Freshwater cultured pearls are cultivated around the world, including Tennessee, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are spheres and used like other round pearls; some are buttons and used to accent jewelry; and some are blister shapes called Mabé which are often used in earrings and other
pieces with closed backs. |
