When you think of pearls, chances are that without knowing it you’re picturing an akoya pearl. That’s because they are the classically lustrous white, silvery, or creamy colored pearls that most of us imagine in jewelry. Also, they’re smaller than South Sea pearls, starting at about 2 mm to about 10 mm for the largest, and therefore are easier to match to create the traditional pearl necklaces we’ve all seen.
Since they are smaller and abundantly harvested from cultured pearl farms in both Japan and China, as well as Australia and other courtiers, they tend to be less expensive than Tahitian or South Sea Pearls, making them very popular. They are not as cheap as freshwater pearls, although they are both cultured pearls by definition, akoya come from the saltwater akoya oyster, a mollusks called the Pinctada Fucata Martensii.
Japanese Akoya Pearls
Although production of cultured akoya pearls originated in Japan, China has now become the world’s largest producer of this well loved and sought after pearl.
However, knowing that in the western world “akoya” is synonymous with high quality Japanese pearls, some Chinese farms send their product to be graded and sorted in Japan, thereby being able to ship them internationally with a the label, “Japanese Akoya Pearl”. This is not an issue in terms of quality, since the same cultivating procedures and techniques are used in both China and Japan.
When selecting your pearl jewelry don’t be too concerned about where your akoya were grown, just be aware that the least expensive ones will likely be from China, so if you’re looking for a bargain this information may be helpful. But, the issue of quality will not depend on where they were grown and harvested but on the size, luster, surface smoothness and thickness of the nacre for each individual pearl no matter where it began its life.
Check the Pearl Grading System chart in the Pearl Engagement Rings (Part II) article of this series if you wish to know what the differences are between the highest grade AAA akoya and the lowest A quality.
It is important to note that the majority of the credit for this abundance of affordable shimmering akoya pearls is due to the efforts of Kokichi Mikimoto who in the 1800′s made the cultivation of these organic gems his life’s work. Therefore this subject would be incomplete without presenting the Mikimoto akoya pearl collection.
Mikimoto Akoya Pearl Jewelry
As stated in previous articles this pearl ring series, the pearl jewelry Mikimoto creates is some of the most valuable and most prized in the world. Mikimoto has lines of jewelry made from each of the main pearl varieties, including akoya, offering some of the most expensive cultured akoya pearl pieces on the market today.
Their prices are partly due to the fact that Mikimoto selects the best quality pearls possible and then sets them in unique designer creations, but it is also because the Mikimoto name is renowned for having been amongst the pioneers of the cultured pearl process. A Mikimoto Japanese pearl ring can cost anywhere from $2,000 to near $50,000, yet they are still more affordable than natural, or wild, pearls. They are considered investment quality, despite being cultured.
Are Cultured Akoya Real Pearls?
Yes!. “Cultured” does not mean imitation or fake, it simply means that instead of a small organic parasite or irritation finding its own way into a mollusk’s tissue, over which the animal grows nacre as a protection, the irritant, usually a tiny piece of mother of pearl, in inserted deliberately, and once the pearl has grown to a suitable size, it is harvested. The same nacre forms both a natural pearl and a cultured one.
Akoya Pearl Wedding & Engagement Rings
Akoya pearl rings make wonderful wedding and engagement rings since they are almost pure white or creamy off-white, or rosy champagne or subtly silver in color, and likewise make for excellent bridal accessories. They are much more affordable than other pearls while still being good quality. In this article we will continue to feature Shecy pearl jewelry collections that are affordable and good value, and can be ordered online very easily.
Solitaire Akoya Pearl Ring
The first Shecy piece we present is a solitaire design that is a real bargain, because it has a 7.5mm akoya pearl in a white gold band for just $175. The single pearl is round with the highest luster of an akoya and a 98% perfect surface with thick nacre. The thickness of the nacre is a very important part of selecting a quality pearl and you should ensure that an akoya has at least .25mm of nacre and preferably more for better luster. Yes, it is the thickness of the nacre that will determine how gleaming the pearl is. Pearls with naturally thin nacre are often treated to enhance the shine and then used in cheap costume jewelry.
Another solitaire style pearl ring with diamonds is the Shecy design that’s mounted in gold and has diamond details on either side of the 8mm white round AAA grade akoya pearl. This pearl was grown in China using the Japanese akoya cultured pearl technology, and is very reasonably priced at just $192. This AAA grade pearl has the thickest nacre possible and will therefore is highly lustrous.
Three Pearl Ring Under $700
Just to give you an idea of how affordable an akoya pearl ring can be, the most expensive design that Shecy offers is only $695, and that piece is a 3 pearl ring design, with a 7mm white, black and golden pearl clustered atop a gold band with .20 carats of diamonds. Imagine owning a genuine three pearl ring for under $700! That’s part of the beauty of akoya.
Two Pearl Ring
Although the multicolored 3 pearl ring is more suited as cocktail or formalwear jewelry, there is a two pearl ring that retails for just over $200 and would make a dazzling pearl engagement ring with a hint of diamonds. Again the pearls are 7mm and the grade is AA+ with very high luster.
And what’s more, for between $150 and $200 you can have a complete matching akoya pearl wedding set, with pearl necklace and stud earrings and even a matching bracelet.
Why buy Akoya Pearl Jewelry
The reasons for buying akoya pearl jewelry are many, but one you may not know is that the akoya is the most lustrous of all pearls, with iridescence visible even in dim lighting, with more sheen than Tahitian or South Sea pearls that are considerably more expensive.
Pink before Green
A final note: If you’re considering pearls as an investment, and have chosen akoya, remember that the white, slightly pinkish, round pearls are the most valuable and the least are those that lean toward darker colors of green and blue.
Related posts:
- Cultured Pearl Ring (Part VIII)
- Gold Pearl Ring (Part X)
- Mabe Pearl Ring (Part XIV)
- Pink Pearl Ring (Part XVII)
- Pearl Ring Jewellery (Part XXI)
