Chinese history of pearl farming

China is the largest producer of freshwater pearls, followed by Japan and followed by the United States. For 35 years, China has glossy pearl rice anywhere in the world, and since then the freshwater pearl industry has declined.

for freshwater cultured pearl industry in China has long been known to a large number of freshwater pearls at a relatively low price. However, amber bracelet advances in farming techniques and culture have improved the quality of pearls. Until the last decade, the majority of Chinese freshwater pearls are of poor quality. Today they can be obtained not only compete with their counterparts in marine, freshwater pearls are the most popular colors and shapes.

Chinese history of pearl farming

China has been in the business of pearl culture from 1200's! Former manuscript describes methods of culturing pearls, blister, which are similar to those we use today. Blister pearls are formed when the nucleus between the mantle and the shell casing is inserted. As a result of growing pearls, which is attached to the body. Eight years, the Chinese cut these beads shells as decorations for sale.

In the 20 th century, a little bit about the Chinese pearls to about 1970, when manufacturers market with what is known as flooding the famous "rice balls." They were small and shrunken, but were often brilliant and bright, so that the tiny stones are reflected in many of the boxes.

Even 30 years ago, about 2 percent of Chinese freshwater pearls with a high enough quality to compete with freshwater pearls from Japan and the United States. There were enough of these low prices, high quality pearls in the volume of your competitors to put pressure on China to improve their product.

Japanese success of freshwater cultured pearls are round for decades, and Chinese freshwater pearl farmers have begun to focus more on quality than quantity. Soon began to produce round, almost round pearls and baroque. popular press and oval in shape, known as the "grain" and "potato" pearls, was more frequent.

Industry continues to grow, albeit at a slow pace. This is mainly due to the time required for the production of culture freshwater pearls. Development of Pearl takes two minutes, six years ago with a long-term investment between germination and the market.

Today the farm

Most farms in China freshwater pearl in the valleys of the Yangtze River and its tributaries. Most plants are within 300 miles from Shanghai. There are thousands of family functioning and the large number of complex, large-scale enterprises. Most companies, regardless of the size to grow other products, including ducks, rice and fish. There is a symbiosis between the improvement of shells, beads and other crops for the production - in tanks powdered fertilizer, fertilizer and feed for fish and shellfish in the forms of awareness are needed.

Pearl farms in China for many hazards - floods, industrial pollution, weather and pests. Another problem lies in the ponds of mold. Pools filled with mud, pearl earrings somewhere between five and 15 years. Fish that live close to the ground and develop forms, left the ball near the surface differ from one pond to ask. Farmers of resources, whether in agriculture or pond is filled, the mud is removed, and start raising fish in the pond raised.

Creating more than 10 different kinds of shells and pearls in its infancy. Currently, most Chinese farmers use Pearl shells H. cumingi use. Using cumingi H. increases when farmers began to focus more on quality rather than quantity. However, C. plicata, which produces fast balls, still a popular choice.

Form either treated or purchased at local and regional incubators. cumingi H originates in the rule if it is six to seven months. Nucleation occurs throughout the year, but many farmers have to decide in April or May or August-October to take advantage of the implant, the best time.

The origin of 20-25 made tiny incisions in two rows in the mantle tissue in one of the two valves of the shell, then add the donor mantle tissue into the cup. When turning the body over, repeated generation operations.

From two to six years, gathering shellfish yield of 30-40 Pearl. Harvest usually takes place in November, before winter. Beads 2 mm and 13 mm, but larger sizes are rare. Most of them are between 4 mm and 7 mm, usually solid nacre. Some balls are hollow in the middle, if the donor was the mantle tissue, which appears when the marbles of the X-ray.

After harvest, some farmers form back in the ponds, where they produced good quality pearls. Pearl bag is already formed, so that if the new mantle tissue inserted. balls of the second generation, as a rule, not the quality, but they are usually well enough to be marketable.

freshwater pearl farms try to increase the chances of a round or nearly round pearls are using the kind of shellfish, tend to produce round pearls, which keeps the water quality and loading of square pieces of donors mantle. The form of the shell fabric has a lot of form pearls, which will produce, farmers, and Chinese freshwater pearls have found that a perfect square provider to produce more pearls round shell. Only about 2 percent of balls at the end of the first round, but since the Chinese to produce hundreds of tons of freshwater pearls, there is an adequate supply.

Some gemologists consider freshwater pearls around the top round or nearly grown up is not the most beautiful white cultured pearls Akoya. Freshwater pearls are selling much less.

Farmers have also found that the most suitable donor tissue to produce a certain color ball. Chinese freshwater pearls, white, cream and other colors like yellow, orange and purple.

After harvest, journals processed, which usually means money. To restore the luster after the processors with sand mix beads, bamboo, keishi freshwater pearl walnut shells, or wood and swing them in the car.

Sometimes, during the transformation of colored beads, often in black. Other colored pearls or emitted to produce a more intense shade.

Chinese freshwater pearl culture industry is still growing, thanks to changes in government economic policy, for the freedom of companies. The country has geographical advantages, too. China is a vast country with an abundance of rivers, streams and lakes, and the diversity of native mussels. Culture for centuries of experience and manpower at low cost, China is likely to continue to lead fresh water pearls.