"Edison pearls" in the "enchanting purple" (yāo zǐ) hue represent a premium, colored variety of domestically produced, nucleated freshwater cultured pearls—a true "pride of Chinese craftsmanship." Developed using patented domestic technology, these pearls are cultivated by implanting a nucleus into a *Hyriopsis cumingii* (triangle sail mussel)—a technique modeled after the method used for South Sea saltwater pearls. The cultivation cycle spans over three years. Unlike most conventional freshwater pearls, which are non-nucleated, Edison pearls are nucleated, making it significantly easier to produce large, perfectly round specimens.
