The DesigNA freshwater pearl necklace does something most pearl strands never do. Between the pearls sit small coloured stones, and each stone marks one value from your DNA profile, in the order your DNA places it. The pearls hold the spaces. So before you choose it, it helps to know how a freshwater pearl forms, why ours sit slightly off round, and how to keep them bright for years.
How freshwater pearls form
Freshwater pearls grow inside mussels that live in lakes and rivers, as the Gemological Institute of America explains. The mussel coats something small inside its shell with nacre, the same material that lines the shell itself. Then it adds another layer, and another, over a long time. Those layers are the pearl.
Because nacre builds up in thin sheets, light passes a little way into a pearl before it bounces back. That is what gives a pearl its soft glow rather than a hard, mirror shine. A polished metal sphere flashes. A pearl, by contrast, seems lit from inside, and the coloured stones beside it look warmer for the company.
Why freshwater pearls are rarely perfectly round
Most freshwater pearls grow around a small piece of tissue rather than a round core. So the shape follows the mussel, not a mould. Some come out close to round, some slightly oval, and some with a soft flattened side. Perfectly round freshwater pearls are the exception rather than the rule.
We say this plainly because people sometimes ask whether an off round pearl is a flaw. It is not. It is the sign of a real pearl grown by a living animal, and the strand reads as warmer and more alive for it. We use genuine freshwater pearls only, and slightly off round is the natural state of the material.
Where the pearls sit on the freshwater pearl necklace and bracelets
On every DesigNA pearl piece, the pearls hold the spaces between the stone markers. The stones carry the design. A UK laboratory with over 25 years in genetic testing reads 23 identity markers from your cheek swab. Each marker has two values, so a necklace carries about 30 stone positions. The stones follow the five dye colours: lapis lazuli for blue, garnet for red, citrine for yellow, amethyst for purple and amazonite for green.
The pearl sizes change with the piece. On the Pearl DNA Profile Necklace, 6mm pearls sit with 4mm stones and a 925 silver spacer either side of each stone. Twisted pearl ropes carry 5mm pearls instead, two strands wound together, again with 4mm stones. Finally, the fine pearl bracelets carry 2mm pearls, with 2mm stones and no metal spheres between them.
In other words, the smaller the piece, the closer the pearls sit to the stones. The necklace gives each stone a silver spacer on both sides, so the colours stay crisp against the white.
Caring for freshwater pearls
Pearls are softer than the stones beside them, and nacre dislikes chemicals. So keep perfume and hairspray off the strand, and never swim in it, because chlorine dulls the surface. After wearing, wipe the pearls with a soft cloth to lift skin oils. Then store the piece flat in its black jewellery box, where it rests in its double helix curve. Warm water and a soft cloth will clean it, and an ultrasonic cleaner never should. The full routine sits on our jewellery care page, and every piece carries a six month warranty.
The Pearl DNA Profile Necklace, £275, and its match
The Pearl DNA Profile Necklace, £275, sets your 4mm stones between genuine 6mm freshwater pearls, finished in 925 hallmarked sterling silver. A silver spacer sits either side of each stone. It comes in 16, 18 or 20 inches, each with a 2 inch extender ending in a small stamped 925 disc, and an oval silver DesigNA tag at the clasp end.
Its natural match is the Twisted Pearl DNA Profile Bracelet, £229. Two strands of 5mm pearls and 4mm stones wind together into a rope, so the same profile reads as a denser pattern on the wrist. Order both together and the second piece comes at half price, applied automatically to the lower priced item. The kit arrives in 2 to 3 working days. Then the piece takes 2 to 3 weeks once the laboratory has your swab, and UK tracked delivery is free.
Frequently asked questions
Are the pearls real?
Yes. All the pearls on a DesigNA piece are genuine freshwater pearls, grown inside mussels and strung by hand in the UK. We use nothing else.
Why is one of my pearls not perfectly round?
Because freshwater pearls grow around a small piece of tissue rather than a round core, the shape follows the mussel. Slightly off round is natural, not a flaw. It is also part of what makes a strand of real pearls look different from a strand of plastic ones.
Do the pearls carry my DNA?
No. The pearls hold the spaces, and the coloured stones mark the values in your profile. The piece carries the pattern of your profile rather than the DNA itself, because the laboratory destroys the sample after reading it.
Can I wear perfume with the necklace?
Keep perfume, hairspray and chlorine away from the pearls, because nacre is soft and chemicals dull it. Put the necklace on last, after anything scented has dried, and wipe it with a soft cloth when you take it off.
What size are the pearls?
6mm on the Pearl DNA Profile Necklace, 5mm on the twisted pearl ropes, and 2mm on the fine pearl bracelets. The stones sit at 4mm on the necklace and ropes and 2mm on the fine bracelets.
Ready to see your markers set in pearl? Explore the full DesigNA collection.
Your genetic code, profiled from a simple cheek swab and handcrafted into the exact DesigNA necklace. No two are ever the same.
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