Freshwater pearls

Claudia Bradby makes fantastic use of freshwater pearls, which are now considered the equal in quality and lustre of the famous Akoya pearls which come from the sea.  Creating freshwater pearls is no shortcut though, for whereas saltwater pearls may take 18 months to become mature, freshwater pearls will take between 4 to 6 years before they are ready to harvest.  During this time, all sorts of issues can arise, damaging the pearls due to disease, weather or extreme temperatures.  The finished result is very much worth it - the variety of beautiful, fascinating colours that can now be produced is so exciting and Claudia Bradby uses them to breathtaking effect in her creations.