| Tennessee is the home of the only freshwater pearl | | | | pearl farmer the most options for shapes and sizes. |
| farm in North America. Pearls have long been | | | | The implant or seed is made of the same material as |
| recognized as a symbol of purity and their popularity | | | | the mussel shell and can be shaped to any size prior |
| has remained stable for centuries. Pearls for | | | | to implanting and it is actually implanted in the mussel. A |
| ornaments and jewelry are formed by oysters or | | | | round implant causes a round pearl to be formed and |
| mussels on farms found mostly in Japan, China, South | | | | a triangle implant in the mussel will form a triangle pearl. |
| Seas and of course in Tennessee. Freshwater pearls | | | | It sounds more simple than it really is of course, |
| are rarely found naturally in the Tennessee washboard | | | | because there is a 3-5 year wait after the mussel with |
| mussel. Most of the pearls are grown at the only | | | | the implant is moved to the farm in the Tennessee |
| culturing farm operation in North America at Birdsong | | | | River while mother nature works her magic. It isn't all |
| Resort near Camden, Tennessee on the Tennessee | | | | magic however, because the mussels are closely |
| River. The pearls are composed of concentric layers | | | | monitored during this time for temperature and water |
| of a crystalline substance called nacre which is calcium | | | | quality and there are very few technicians that are |
| carbonate. It is this nacre that gives the pearl its | | | | skilled at implanting the seeds into mussels. It took |
| lustrous iridescence and accounts for must of the | | | | many years before the Japanese technique of |
| pearls' beauty. | | | | culturing pearls was successfully adapted to the |
| When we toured the Tennessee River Freshwater | | | | Tennessee native waters and mussels, and 1984 was |
| Pearl Farm in May, we were lucky to have been | | | | the first year that a productive harvest was turned. |
| escorted by Adrienne who is the designer of the | | | | Thanks to the diligence of culturing farm founder John |
| freshwater pearl cabochons which her customers use | | | | Latendresse, cabochons and jewelry or wearable |
| as ornaments. She explained how the pearls take the | | | | ornaments can be viewed and purchased at |
| shape of ornaments. Adrienne said that there are | | | | moderate prices. If your interest is peaked, you can |
| different methods of seeding the mussels for pearls | | | | read more about the process of culturing freshwater |
| and that the implant method is the most suitable for | | | | pearls and perhaps even tour the Tennessee River |
| making freshwater pearl ornaments since it gives the | | | | Pearl Farm & Museum just off of I-40 in Tennessee. |