In the following pages, we'll show you a beautiful pearl farm near Shanghai and explain how China's fine cultured pearls are produced.

The cultured pearl process begins by selecting the mollusks that are healthy enough to grow quality pearls.

Next, tissue is carefully removed from weaker mollusks that were not selected to grow pearls.

The tissue is first cleaned with a sponge, removing any foreign particles which can attack a mollusk. It is then sliced into many small pieces which will be used as a nucleus – the irritant which causes a cultured pearl to begin formation.

Next, skilled workers carefully place the tissue in a mollusk. Up to 40 pieces of tissue can be inserted into a single freshwater mollusk, as opposed to 1 or 2 for most salt water oysters. Since each piece of tissue, or nucleus, produces one cultured pearl, these freshwater mollusks are able to create a high yield of quality pearls. This high productivity allows Honora to deliver great quality at reasonable prices.

The mollusks are placed in nets, and lowered to rest under wood floats in the clear waters of China. They deposit layers of nacre for up to three years. Clean water and an adequate food supply are essential ingredients to ensuring a quality harvest.

The nets are checked periodically. The mollusks are raised from the water and cleaned by the farmers, in an effort to keep them as healthy as possible. Growing cultured pearls is a labor intensive business, from start to finish.

Years later, the nets are brought up, as farmers anxiously prepare to view the crop which has taken so long to produce.

The result is truly miraculous. Numerous large pearls are embedded on each side of the mollusk.

Astoundingly, one mollusk contains a myriad of shapes. Rounds, buttons, ovals, drops, and freeforms have all been grown inside the same shell. Even more stunning is the range of color produced within a single mollusk. Shades of white, lavender, plum, peach, and pink have all emerged from one shell.

Cultured freshwater pearl necklaces from China are superbly matched, and top qualities rival the finest pearls in the world. Honora uses only the top few percent of each harvest assuring their customers – and ours – the best in cultured freshwater pearls.