December
Newsletter
December
16, 2009
PEARLS - PEARLS - PEARLS
Many may remember
when the Biwa pearl was abundant and readily available. Historically Lake
Biwa, Japan is the origin of the freshwater pearl. Today China is the big
producer; however, freshwater pearls are grown in the United States and worldwide
including the rivers of Scotland, Ireland, France and Austria. They were once
thought to be the tears of the gods found tumbling in river beds.
A single freshwater mussel can produce up to 50 pearls. As with South Sea
and Akoya pearls, the round pearls are the most expensive. Freshwater pearls
are commercially farmed, plentiful and relatively inexpensive.
As Coco Chanel did decades ago, today it is very chic to wear multiple strands
of pearls in varying lengths together with bold yellow gold and pearl chain
necklaces. These strands of oval freshwater pearls are a whopping 97"
long! Strung continuously without a clasp, a single strand can be worn doubled,
tripled - even quadrupled. At $300 per strand - What a fantastic present.!!!
Freshwater pearl strands, 97" long, $300 per strand
Meriwether
3524 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-359-1111
http://www.meriwether.net