Cultured freshwater pearls are
pearls that are farmed and created using
freshwater mussels. These pearls are produced in
Japan and the
United States on a limited scale, but are now almost exclusively produced in
China. The U.S.
Federal Trade Commission requires that farmed freshwater pearls be referred to as "freshwater cultured pearls" in commerce. Quality of cultured freshwater pearls is evaluated through a grading system of a series of A values, based on
luster, shape, surface, color, color and matching.