Materials glossary / Organic material
Freshwater cultured pearl
On the label: Freshwater pearl · Organic material
What it is
Pearls from mussels in Chinese lakes, tissue-nucleated so they are nearly all nacre; the affordable, durable pearl in most jewelry, in white, peach and lavender.
Organic materials: Materials made by living things: pearls, amber, coral, shell, jet, bone. Softer than mineral stones and sensitive to acid, heat and perfume.
Wikidata: Pearl created by freshwater Mollusca. Q31384432 →
In the research
3 PubMed papers mention it with jewelry, allergy, eyewear or UV; the three most recent:
- Unveiling Distinct Gemological and Microstructural Features of Freshwater Cultured Pearls With Novel Composite Nuclei · Microscopy and microanalysis : the official journal of Microscopy Society of Ame, 2026
- Freshwater pearl culture in Bangladesh: Current status and prospects · Heliyon, 2024
- The proteomics of the freshwater pearl powder: Insights from biomineralization to biomedical application · Journal of proteomics, 2022
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on one fabric or one filter says little about the piece in your hand.
Pieces whose listing names it
7 on the siteMatched from the words in the supplier's listing; the full material line is on each product page.
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Other organic materials
Clasp & Lens describes materials from the public record and does not appraise, grade or test pieces; what a listing states is the supplier's statement. If a piece causes a rash, take it off; a reaction that spreads or blisters is a doctor's question, and sunglasses are no substitute for impact-rated eye protection where that is required.