What Are Akoya Cultured Pearls

The first pearls to be cultured early in the 1920s their white color and rosé overtone complement a fair complexion.

What are akoya cultured pearls. The first pearls to be cultured early in the 1920s their white colour and rosé overtone complement a fair complexion. About akoya pearls akoya pearls are the specialty of japanese pearl farms. Cultured akoya pearls a cultured pearl is a pearl created by a mussel farmer or oyster farmer under controlled conditions. Jewelers commonly use this classic pearl type to create elegant pearl necklaces.

Because akoya pearls are a high quality pearl you ll find them set with gold posts and clasps and you ll find they are well matched for size shape and color. Today a hybrid mollusk is used in both japan and china in the production of akoya pearls. Akoya pearls are a salt water verity of cultured pearl farmed primarily in the bays of southern japan and as such they are more rare and valuable than freshwater pearl verities. About akoya pearls akoya pearls are the specialty of japanese pearl farms.

Cultured pearls can be farmed using two very different groups of bivalve mollusk. The original japanese cultured pearls known as akoya pearls are produced by a species of small pearl oyster pinctada fucata martensii which is no bigger than 6 to 8 cm 2 4 to 3 1 in in size hence akoya pearls larger than 10 mm in diameter are extremely rare and highly priced. Cultured akoya pearls are known for being perfectly round baroque akoya are of course available but they re rare and more of a collector s item at this point in time. Due to the difficulties inherent in saltwater ocean farming along with the fact that these oysters produce only one pearl at a time where as freshwater pearls produce up to 40 45 the availability of these gems is more limited driving market value upwards.

Because akoya are the most abundant type of saltwater pearl with the longest cultured history information on akoyas is abundant. The vast majority of akoya pearls you ll run into in stores and online today are perfect rounds. The akoya pearl is a saltwater cultured pearl from the akoya oyster pinctada fucata martensii.