Not all pearls are white. They come in a range of colours, and their shades are influenced by different factors.
Edison Golden Pearls
Edison Golden Pearls are creamy gold in colour. Some are dark golden or have the color of ‘champagne’. They are usually available in commercial outlets and are often used during TV commercials.
Saltwater pearls
Saltwater pearls are grown in Japanese and Chinese waters. They are white or cream in colour and found in Indonesia, Australia and the Philppines. Tahiti also has saltwater pearls but the colours here are green, blue and purple.
Freshwater pearls
Freshwater pearls are grown in ponds, lakes and rivers. They are produced in China and come in a variety of colours such as bronze, pink, purple and peach.
What decides the colour of pearls?
- Pearls come in hues that are described as either cool or warm hues. Cool shades include purple, white, and green, whereas warm shades include yellow and red. The primary shade is determined by the body of the pearl.
- The orient effect decides the colour too. This is caused by light reflecting through the various layers of nacre that make up a pearl.
