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Though today there are few Biwa pearls for sale, just a few decades ago most of the freshwater pearls on the market came from Lake Biwako. What happened? Here I’ll explain what the main appeal of Biwa pearls is, how they came to dominate the market, and why you don’t see many on the market today.
The rise of Biwa pearls began at nearly the same time as the freshwater pearl cultivation industry in Japan. The pearls found in the mussels of Lake Biwako (found North of the Japanese city of Kyoto) astounded everyone with their unique colors. Unlike other pearls, Biwas were often pink, purple, or purple brown. Not only that, their irregular shape and high quality enchanted those consumers who were often tired of traditional white pearl necklaces.
From that point until the 1970s pearls from Lake Biwa held a very high reputation. In fact, at one point Biwa pearl farms produced nearly the entire world supply of freshwater pearls. For that reason “Biwa” and “freshwater” were almost synonymous. However, production peaked shortly afterward and then fell into rapid decline.
Disaster struck – the “red tide” (algae bloom) killed off many of the pearl-producing mussels. Not only that, over harvesting led to their near extinction. The industry has had a hard time recovering. A hybrid mussel that produced pearls similar to Biwa was farmed in Lake Kasumigaura with some success but now they are suffering the same fate that befell Lake Biwa.
So what does Biwa mean today? First of all, overuse of the term “Biwa” led to regulation in the United States that only genuine Biwa pearls can be so named – so don’t worry, you won’t get just any freshwater pearls here. Believe it or not, you can still find Biwa pearl necklaces and they are still gorgeous. Here’s one thing to look for – because the mussels are often nucleated with a square piece of mother-of-pearl, Biwa pearls often take an irregular, rectangular shape. However, you may have the best luck searching for vintage necklaces as these are often higher quality than what is being sold these days.
If you are looking for a Biwa pearl necklace, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors!
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