Freshwater Pearls vs. Akoya Pearls

So there also a Chinese version of the Akoya pearl as well as freshwater pearls.So what are their main differences? Shape wise, Akoya pearls are rounder in shape than other freshwater pearls. Freshwater pearls come in various shapes such as oblong, conical, and many more, unlike the Akoya which has a fixed shape which is spherical. Akoyas also have a thinner nacre as compared to its freshwater counterparts.The pearl culture industry paved the way for different types of pearls to be known all over the world. Cultured pearls, as we all know are more affordable than natural pearls. However, not all cultured pearls are the same. Let take the Freshwater pearl and the Akoya pearl as an example. Freshwater and akoya are both cultured pearls but they differ in many aspects. Akoya pearls were originally cultured in Japan, hence the Japanese name. On the other hand, China booming freshwater pearl farming made them claim that they, indeed, are the center of Akoya and freshwater pearl farming.