Freshwater mussels can live up to 150 years, and a regular-sized freshwater pearl often spends 5-7 years inside the mussel. Our pearls are AAA quality, part of the top 5% of all pearls harvested a year. It is important to remember that the pearls are naturally made and therefore may vary in shape, color, and size. At the factory, the pearls are matched in pairs for each piece of jewelry.