What You Don't Know About Akoya Pearls
When you think of pearls, most often the picture that comes to mind is a tropical island with warm seas and a light breeze where the oysters would love to take refuge. There are many different types of pearls out there on the market, but the Akoya pearl is probably the most recognizable. The Akoya parls is a high luster white pearl that is used mostly for long strands.
The Akoya pearl does not come from the tropical island setting you might think of. It is cultured and farmed mainly in China and Japan. They get their name because they are nucleated in the Akoya oyster which is found off the shores of China and Japan. Akoya pearls tend to be fairly small because the Akoya oyster is small in comparison to other types of oysters. The pearls created by the Akoya oyster are typically white or cream, sometimes with overtones of rose or silver.
A benefit of smaller pearls is that they tend to be the most consistently round in shape. Because of this, they are perfect for jewlers to match them up to create long strands of pearls. When shopping for pearl jewelry, if you come across a long pearl necklace or bracelet, you are most likely looking at Akoya pearls. This type of pearl is highly desireable because it has a high luster, a smooth, round shape, and it is affordable. The white and rose shades make this type of pearl a perfect choice for fair complexions - the color brings out subtle tones in the skin.
Akoya pearls are cultured and farmed en masse, so they are really quite affordable. China and Japan also have a competing market for these pearls which helps to keep the cost down. China has, in recent years, really taken a hold of the Akoya pearl market, creating pearls that rival the legendary quality that Japan calls its own. Because of this response from China, Japan has focused most of its attention on creating large Akoya pearls (over 8mm). It is rare to find pearls larger than this in China, so Japan has taken this opportunity to corner the market.
So, with all of this information, what should you look for when out shopping for pearl jewelry? It is very important to ask the jeweler a lot of questions about the pearls to ensure you are getting exactly what you want. it is important to know about the origin of the pearl. Many times, freshwater pearls will be sold as cultured pearls and it’s important to know the difference. Akoya pearls and freshwater pearls are cultured, but inn different ways. The Akoya pearl is cultured in saltwater, which gives them a very different appearance and are much more valuable than freshwater pearls.
The next piece of advice is to take the time to really inspect the pearls on a particular piece you are interested in. If you are looking at a strand of Akoya pearls, make sure it has a very high luster. Also, look to see if all of the pearls on the strand seem to match in shape and size. Next, look at the color of the pearls on the strand to make sure they all look similar. While inspecting the color, look for any blemishes to the pearls as this could decrease the value of the jewelry. The final item on your pearl checklist is overall appearance. Try on the bracelet or necklace in a mirror and see how it looks against your skin tone. If it looks good and you love it, then most likely you have found the perfect piece of pearl jewelry to take home!
When you think of pearls, most often the picture that comes to mind is a tropical island with warm seas and a light breeze where the oysters would love to take refuge. There are many different types of pearls out there on the market, but the Akoya pearl is probably the most recognizable. The Akoya pearl is the classic, high luster, white pearl used mostly for long strands of jewelry.
The Akoya pearl does not come from the tropical island setting you might think of. It is cultured and farmed mainly in China and Japan. They get their name because they are nucleated in the Akoya oyster which is found off the shores of China and Japan. Akoya pearls tend to be fairly small because the Akoya oyster is small in comparison to other types of oysters. The pearls created by the Akoya oyster are typically white or cream, sometimes with overtones of rose or silver.
A benefit of smaller pearls is that they tend to be the most consistently round in shape. Because of this, they are perfect for jewlers to match them up to create long strands of pearls. When shopping for pearl jewelry, if you come across a long pearl necklace or bracelet, you are most likely looking at Akoya pearls. This type of pearl is popular for its high luster, smooth, round shape, and affordability. The white and rose shades make this type of pearl a perfect choice for fair complexions - the color brings out subtle tones in the skin.
Because Akoya pearls are cultured and farmed by the masses, they tend to be quite affordable. China and Japan also have a competing market for these pearls which helps to keep the cost down. China has, in recent years, really taken a hold of the Akoya pearl market, creating pearls that rival the legendary quality that Japan calls its own. Because of this response from China, Japan has focused most of its attention on creating large Akoya pearls (over 8mm). It is rare to find pearls larger than this in China, so Japan has taken this opportunity to corner the market.
So, with all of this information, what should you look for when out shopping for pearl jewelry? It is very important to ask the jeweler a lot of questions about the pearls to ensure you are getting exactly what you want. it is important to know about the origin of the pearl. Many times, freshwater pearls will be sold as cultured pearls and it’s important to know the difference. Akoya pearls and freshwater pearls are cultured, but inn different ways. The Akoya pearl is cultured in saltwater, which gives them a very different appearance and are much more valuable than freshwater pearls.
The next piece of advice is to take the time to really inspect the pearls on a particular piece you are interested in. If you are looking at a strand of Akoya pearls, make sure it has a very high luster. Also, look to see if all of the pearls on the strand seem to match in shape and size. Next, look at the color of the pearls on the strand to make sure they all look similar. While you're inspecting the color of the pearl, keep an eye out for blemishes that could decrease the value of the jewelry. The final thing to put on your pearl checklist is its overall appearance. Try on the necklace or bracelet and look at it against your skin tone and how it looks on you in a mirror. If you love it, you've probably found the perfect piece of pearl jewelry!
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