Akoya pearls originate mainly in Japan and China. The oyster that produces Akoyas has the common name of Pinctada Fucata.These pearls range from two to nine millimeters in diameter, averaging six to seven millimeters.They also display a white appearance with a rose hue. The highest percentage of harvested Akoyas are spherical in shape.Due to the consistent size and shape of the Akoya, we often find that this quality of pearl jewelry brings forth perfectly matched strands.
Similar to the Akoya, the Freshwater cultured pearl is also native to China. However, this pearl does not derive from an oyster and is smaller and less spherical in shape.The color of these pearls can be unique because their color is based upon natural attributes of the mussel as well as the fact that it can be treated or irradiated to achieve a more desired color.The mollusks that produce these pearls are called mussels.The main producer of the Freshwater pearl is the Hyriopsis Cumingi.Small crops of these pearls are produced in Japan, but the majority of the worlds supply of the Freshwater quality comes from China.China can generate up to fifteen times the amount of these pearls when compared to all of the saltwater and freshwater producers combined mainly because a mussel can be harvested more than once, which results in several pearls at one time. Each of those pearls range between four to eleven millimeters in diameter in size. Seeing that there is such a high quantity of this quality it makes the Freshwater a much more affordable option when compared to the other cultured pearls.
The South Sea cultured pearl is known to Australia, Indonesia, and also the Philippines. The common name for the oyster in these areas is Pinctada Maxima.There are two kinds of Pinctada Maxima: gold-lipped and silver-lipped. While appearing golden, silver, or pale with a satin finish look, they are quite different from the reflective nature of the Akoya.In Australia, South Sea pearls are found in the wild and can range from ten to fifteen millimeters in diameter, averaging thirteen millimeters. Conversely, those found in Indonesia and the Philippines are hatchery-bred and fall roughly two millimeters smaller in size. The South Sea quality tends to be more expensive than that of the Akoya, so grouping them together in large matched strands is less practical. South Sea pearls are more often set into pearl necklace, ring, and other jewelry designs that require fewer pearls.
Depending on the type of oyster that produced them and what part of the world they are from, pearls come in a wide range of shapes, lusters, and mysterious colors. The following introdution is mainly about akoya pearl and freshwater pearl.
Akoya Pearl
Akoya Pearls are produced by the Japanese Akoya Oyster. Best known for their deep luster, rich color, and perfect round shapes, Akoyas are the most popular and classic.
The Akoya cultured pearl made its debut in 1905 when Kokichi Mikimoto first introduced the technique to produce round pearls by the process of bead nucleation. Already by 1920, he had accomplished his lifelong dream to adorn the necks of ladies all around the world with his revolutionary Akoya cultured pearls.
Akoya Pearls over 9mm are rare and highly valued on the market. Given that the Akoya oyster is the smallest commercial pearl jewelry producing oyster, the pearls tend to be small and are usually limited to producing no more than 2 pearls per harvest. Compare that to the freshwater pearl producing mussel that is capable of producing over 40 pearls at a time, and it is no surprise that Akoya Pearls command a higher value than freshwater pearls of similar quality.
Akoya Pearls range in body color and overtone. Body color, referring to the basic color of the pearl, includes white, cream, green, silver, pink, and gold. Akoya overtones, or tints as seen in the central areas of the pearl under light, include rose (pink), green, silver, and blue. The most rare and valuable Akoya Pearl color is white with rose overtones; a green overtone is considered less desirable in white colored pearls and its presence reduces value.
Freshwater Pearl
Freshwater pearls are the most common type of pearl and produced primarily in China by the freshwater pearl mussel Hyriopsis Cumingi. These pearls are best known for their unusual shapes, wide variety of sizes, and range in colors.
Differing from that of saltwater pearls, the process used to produce freshwater pearls does not require a shell nucleus but rather a tissue grafting technique that facilitates mass production. The mussel is also larger than that used to produce Akoya Pearls, resulting in the simultaneous production of up to 50 pearls at a time. Because only a mantle tissue is used without a bead nucleus, top quality freshwater pearls are essentially all nacre and offer a very good value.
Freshwater pearls are available in a rainbow of natural colors and shapes, a much wider variety than saltwater pearls, giving them a special allure. Colors include white, orange, lavender, purple, violet, blue, rose, and silver. The variety of shapes includes round, drop, coin, button, rice, stick, and potato. Freshwater pearls vary in size from 2mm to 15mm.