Akoya Pearl Information
What Are Akoya Pearls?
Akoya pearls are pearls formed by Akoya oysters from Asia, notably Japan. Although there are some that say that the Akoya Oyster originally came from China.
Technically the Akoya Oysters mentioned are more specifically known by the their scientific name, Pinctada Fucata Martensii. For pearl forming oysters they are relatively small, measuring only 6 to 8 centimers across. For this reason akoya pearls only range from about 2 millimeters to 11 millemeters in size. Commonly sold sizes are between mm to 8mm, with 7mm diameter being the most popular.
Who Makes Akoya Pearls?
Akoya pearls originally gained popularity in Japan. Japan was the chief exporter of quality Akoya Pearls until China began to culture their own Akoya molluscs. Today China is the number one exporter of Akoya Pearls with Japan mainly concentrating on higher quality pearls. Today expensive high quality pearls of sizes sometimes exceeding 10mm are being exported out of Japan. While China ships hundreds of tons of Akoya Pearls smaller than 7mm.
How does the Akoya compare to other kinds pearls?
Akoya pearls are the best pearls when it comes to what is known as luster. The brilliance of the Akoya pearls are a measure beyond other pearls. It is said that even in dark surroundings an Akoya pearl can reflect even the tiniest amount of light and display almost unnatural brilliance.
Their luster is said to be caused by the cooler waters that the akoya molluscs are grown in. Because the cooler waters promote slower growth the nacre’s luster is particularly impressive compared to other types of pearls.
However since the Akoya molluscs are smaller than their South Sea or Tahitian counterparts they in turn produce smaller pearls. Typical sizes sold around the world are between 6mm to 7.5mm
How are Akoya Pearls Made?
Akoya Pearl farmers implant a “bead” of mother-of-pearl ( the stuff that covers the inner surface of the mollusc ) together with some mantle tissue into the mollusc’s gonads. This will irritate the mollusc and will begin to cover the irritant with layer after layer of nacre. Nacre if the pearly substance the constitutes most of the pearl.
It is important to note that with Akoya Pearl Molluscs many of them do not survive this procedure. Only about half of the molluscs survive this operation. Akoya Pearl Molluscs in farms may also die well before the 9 to 18 months required for them to produce a normal sized pearl. Disease, storms and other factors contribute to the high mortality rate among them.
For the Akoya Pearl molluscs that survive long enough, only about 3% of them produce high quality pearls. Japan Akoya pearls maintain this very high standard of quality. While Chinese made Akoya Pearls may be less stringent about quality pearls.
