Lake Biwa Pearls

[Pearl Dreams]

From Pearls: A Natural History (page 178) :

"It appears that the Biwa Pearl Mussel (Hyriopsis schlegelii) was extensively used beginning in the early 1920s. The transition from bead nucleation to tissue nucleation also happened early, certainly by 1930. The modern multiple-nucleation method appeared in the 1950s."

This thread induced me to take out my white Biwas and wear them today...mine are a little smaller than the ones pictured, 5-6mm the long way but only about 3-4mm across the drill hole. I also couldn't resist and got some of the lavender ones from Terry...

 

[pattye]

I would be very surprised if they were bead nucleated--I would think they would have a more consistent size, if so. I hope my order goes through!!

 

[Mandy]

Ty for that quote, Pearl_dreams! So it would seem that these ones are most likely, tissue nucleated. And I also caved and got some of Terry's biwas as well, hee. I got the white ones since all my strands so far have been multicolored or pink!

 

[Hanaleimom]

biwa

biwa

Pearldreams,
Thank you for the reference material.

 

[Heidi]

Thanks for the reference quote! I haven't been able to find the answer which may this may be somewhere on the forum - but does anyone know how the stick shaped FW pearls got generalized to being called "biwa?" I've seen stick or elongated actual Lake Biwa pearls...as well as nuggets like Terry's latest find.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Continuing with the quote from page 178 of Pearls: A Natural History (copyright 2001):

"The Biwa Pearl Mussel is one of many endemic species native to the Lake Biwa/Yodo River System-- meaning that it is found naturally nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, various environmental problems have rendered Lake Biwa proper unusable for culturing, and Hyriospisis schlegelii is now nearly extinct. Pearl cultivation continues in small lakes surrounding Lake Biwa, revitalized through use of a new pearl mussel. Crossing some of the remaining Biwa Pearl Mussels in aquaculture with their continental relative, Hyriopsis cumingii, has provided a new hybrid strain that has raised hopes that the freshwater pearl industry of the Lake Biwa area can survive. The new pearl mussels are also being cultivated in Lake Kasumigara, near Tokyo, and their products have been sold since 1997 under the name Kasumiga Cultured Pearls. Japan still produces nearly 1,000 kilograms of freshwater pearls per year, but most pearl specialists think this total will continue to decline."

 

[Pearl Dreams]

This thread is probably what you were remembering reading (the article in the OP includes information about the Biwa mussell being used in China) :

https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/p...ntinues-chinese-freshwater-pearl-culture.html

Some of Jeremy's posts in that thread are very informative:

https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/p...ese-freshwater-pearl-culture-4.html#post16245

and this one:

https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/p...ese-freshwater-pearl-culture-3.html#post16172

Here is an older thread that is interesting:
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/freshwater-pearls/4-what-freshwater-pearl-valuable.html

 

[Raisondetre]

Someone buy that green laser and shine it through the pearl!

 

[flycatcher]

OK, I give up. I have looked twice on the Pearl Outlet web site and have not been able to locate these pearls. Can someone enlighten me as to where to find them on the site? I have a feeling that y'all have already bought them all anyway so it may not matter anymore. Thanks!

--Stephen

 

[Hanaleimom]

link

link

Here's the link for you.

http://www.thepearloutlet.com/summer08blowout.htm

You can also go to the home page and look at the bottom of the page. The monthly sale link is way at the bottom.

 

[flycatcher]

Thanks Hanaleimom! Silly me! I was looking under the new items page of all places. I am glad to see that there are some left. Now I just have to figure out how to explain to the wife why I bought her another set of pearls. Maybe that won't be too hard.

--Stephen

 

[barbie biggs]

You could of course wear a brown shirt and sport them yourself. Especially if you got the lavendar. Lavendar and brown just pops!
Tell her you wanted to match but in a manly way. I think you could get away with the biwa's.
barbie

 

[pearlkrazy]

Yipee! I just got confirmation that my lavender Biwa strand is on it's way

 

[Pearl Dreams]

We''ll have to post photos of our strands when they arrive.

 

[Casey.R]

Those are very pretty. Where did you find them ( Hope thats not too nosey of a question)?

 

[Heidi]

OK, here they are! This is my first attempt at doing neck shots by myself...

Taken in natural light and minor levels adjustments in Photoshop. The one earring you see is 1/2 of my pair of Kamoka keshi stud earrings from Kojima Pearl. The tiny pearls are ones I've had since I was 16.

 

[Monty Hall]

Heidi,

Those look absolutely STUNNING on you!!! I would never have thought of combining a solo lavender strand with two white strands. Really lovely.

Also, nice job with the autofocus!
CarolK

 

[Monty Hall]

Are you planning on restringing them to make a triplet? Or are you going to keep them "a la carte"?

CarolK

 

[Heidi]

Thanks for the compliments!

I am going to keep them as-is. I see the lavender strand being very "every day" wearable when I want just a little extra without the eye-catching character of the white pearls.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Casey, here:

http://www.thepearloutlet.com/summer08blowout.htm