Answer
This question has no real answer as mollusks have always created pearls, both marine and freshwater, and they have been around for more than 530 million years.
If you are referring to cultured freshwater pearls, however, they were first cultured by Dr. Masao Fujita in the 1920s in Lake Biwa, Japan, using the Hyriopsis schlegeli mussel (Biwa pearly mussel). Pollution all but destroyed this industry just a few decades ago. Currently, freshwater pearl production is almost exclusive to China.
There is also some very minor production in Lake Kasumigaura, Japan.
Answer This question does not have an answer as pearl-producing mollusks have been on this planet longer than humans have - about 500 million years. Pearls have been collected and traded for thousands of years, with historical accounts reach far beyond B.C.
Pearls come from oyster shells, They are a growth that develop on the inside of some shells due to some irritation.
Pearls, real or cultured come from oysters and some other molluscs. It is the way oysters protect themselves from foreign bodies.
By oyster's species, origin, shape and color, Pearls are further classified into the categories below: natural pearl, cultured pearls, freshwater pearls, saltwater pearl, akoya pearls, south sea pearls, tahitian pearls... there are still dozen kinds of pearls available while the most popular on the market are freshwater, akoya, south sea and tahitian. Tahitian pearls are borned with black colors, other three types of pearls have white color available. here is a detailed explainations about all the pearl types, Please click onto the related link below.
Honora's main focus and market share is that of freshwater pearls. Freshwater pearls are almost exclusively produced in China. Japan and USA have limited facilities, which are more tourist attractions than anything else and so their contribution to global supplies is negligible.
Poland
Manihiki is an island in the Cook Islands known as the Island of Pearls. It is a triangular atoll 1160 km north of Rarotonga, and is said to be one of the group's loveliest islands.-saifwins
pearls
There are five different types of pearls, including natural pearls, cultured pearls, saltwater pearls, freshwater pearls, and imitation pearls.
Akoya pearls are cultivated mainly in Japan and China. Vietnam, Thailand, and Australia are beginning to cultivate Akoya pearls. Originally the first person to cultivate these pearls was Kokichi Mikimoto from Japan.
Almost all freshwater pearls in the world wide market today are fresh water culture pearls from China. They are generally less expensive than similar sized Cultured pearls that are grown in Saltwater, but not always. There are effectively no natural pearls on the market, and there have not been many on the world wide market for at least the last 100 years.
Oysters are not the only type of mollusk that can produce pearls. Clams and mussels can also produce pearls, but that is a much rarer occurrence. Most pearls are produced by oysters in both freshwater and saltwater environments.
While white, and more recently black, saltwater pearls are by far the most popular, other color tints can be found on pearls from the oceans. Pink, blue, champagne, green, black and even purple saltwater pearls can be encountered, but to collect enough of these rare colors to form a complete string of the same size and same shade can take years.
There are freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls. Natural freshwater pearls form in various species of freshwater mussels, family Unionidae, which live in lakes, rivers, ponds and other bodies of fresh water. These freshwater pearl mussels occur not only in hotter climates, but also in colder more temperate areas such as Scotland: see the freshwater pearl mussel. However, most freshwater cultured pearls sold today come from China. Saltwater pearls grow within pearl oysters, family Pteriidae, which live in oceans. Saltwater pearl oysters are usually cultivated in protected lagoons or volcanic atolls. Look here for more info: http://www.pinnaclepearls.com
Answer There are many types of pearls, both natural and cultured, but all pearls may be separated into two distinct groups. Saltwater PearlsSaltwater pearls, whether cultured or natural, are pearls which grow in marine mollusks in a saline environment such as the ocean. Freshwater PearlsFreshwater pears, whether cultured or natural, are pearls which grown in freshwater mussels in non-saline environments such as rivers, lakes and streams.
Freshwater pearls are typically found in mussels or oysters that reside in ponds, rivers, or lakes. They are typically more irregular than saltwater pearls, and they have greater color variations.
All factors being equal, sea (saltwater) pearls are always more valuable than Freshwater pearls. However, a large, top quality Freshwater pearl can easily be more expensive than a small, low quality saltwater-cultured pearl. High luster, thick coating, smooth surface, minimal blemishes, large size, fascinating colors, and symmetrically shaped pearls are the most valuable. So it is not always the category of pearls, but the quality of the pearl that determines the price.
Akoya pearls are be extracted from Akoya oysters. These oysters can be typically found in large bodies of saltwater. For example, Akoya oysters are traditionally found in the sea area of southern China.
Sri Lanka is known as the "Land of Pearls" due to its rich history of pearl diving and trade in the region. Pearl farming and cultivation have been an important part of the country's economy and culture for centuries.
Bahrain is commonly known as the "Island of Pearls" due to its historical association with pearl diving and trading. Pearling was a major industry in Bahrain for centuries, shaping the culture and economy of the country.