Akoya

Akoya pearls are the classic and best-known variety of all cultured pearls. The roundness of the pearl and the depth and consistency of luster have positioned this pearl as the preferred choice in making a timeless statement of good taste in jewelry selection. When thinking of a simple Pearl necklace as a Bridal choice or to accent that “little black dress”, the Akoya Pearl sets the standard as a premier selection. Water temperature and mineral content will influence the quality of the pearl production. Cool to cold water produces best results. Akoya producing mollusks are found in ocean waters bordering certain areas of the eastern coasts of North and South America, the east coast of Africa, the Mediterranean and throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The vast majority of the Akoya producing mollusks are found off the coast of Japan. This natural phenomenon, together with the evolution of the Cultured Pearl production process since the early 1900’s, has formed the basis of a multi-billion dollar pearling industry. The Akoya producing mollusk – the Pinctada fucata martensii - produces pearls between two and ten millimeters in size. Each shell produces four to five pearls at a time with a nacre thickness of approximately 1/10 to 2/10 of a millimeter. The growing time for most Akoya pearls is from six to eighteen months. Oftentimes, the longer the cultivation timeline, the higher the value of the Pearl. Successful pearling is the result of thoughtful planning, patient tending and nurturing of the producing mollusks and an enormous investment in time, money, science, and people. That the outcome of years of patient cultivation should yield a productive harvest is often a wonder. Once the pearls are recovered, the lengthy and highly skilled process of hand sorting, grading and valuing the pearls for market sale begins.