Who could possibly resist the beauty of a classic strand of Akoya
Pearls? - The answer, not many. There is something so refined, elegant
and sophisticated about a classic strand of pearls. Typically, these
pearls are Akoya Pearls. Akoya Pearls are farmed in the waters of Japan,
the water and environment makes it the perfect place for cultivating
these beauties.
Like all saltwater pearls, Akoya pearls come in a wide
range of sizes from round, near round, oval, teardrop to baroque.
Typically, Akoya Pearls range in size from 2mm all the way to 10mm.
However the most common size of Akoya Pearls is between 7mm and 8mm.
With
saltwater pearls, there are three main classifications of pearls.
Pearls are classified based on the region they are harvested, and the
region impacts their size and color. Baroque Akoya Pearls are uniquely beautiful and add a
certain amount of distinction and charm that traditional round pearls
are not able to offer.
Here is a beautiful example of how Akoya Pearls can vary in size. See
how the pearl on the bottom is more abstract and unique in shape that
the perfectly round pearl on the top?
Because people are familiar with how diamonds are cut, many assume that
all pearls are round and baroque pearls are cut or chiseled to have the
irregular edges and curves. This is simply not true. Baroque pearls are
formed by layers of nacre being deposited over the nucleus that has been
inserted into the oyster. There are certain techniques that can be used
to increase the probability of procuring perfectly round and
symmetrical Akoya pearl, but many times irregular shapes such as baroque
Akoya pearls form in the oyster. It is often also assumed that any
pearl that is not perfectly round is a “natural” pearl and thus more
valuable. This is another common misconception. Harvesting natural
pearls is not financially feasible and there are also many laws
protecting the harvesting of wild oysters for their pearls. As a result
almost 100% of the pearls made available to consumers are the result of
pearl farms and harvests.
If you are considering adding a classic
Akoya strand or piece of jewelry to your personal pearl jewelry
collection, we invite to you visit our Los Angeles Showroom and view our
collection online. We have thousands of stunning Akoya Pearl strands to
choose from ranging from perfectly round pure white Akoya Pearls to
baroque shaped silver white to pearls with pink overtones. Each of these
strands is unique and beautiful. Selecting the perfect Akoya strand is
based entirely upon preference and personal style. If you are not in the
Los Angeles area, we would encourage you to view our collection of
Akoya Pearl Jewelry online. Each item that you view is the exact piece
that you will receive. Additionally, each piece has been extensively
photographed and you can be certain of the quality, color, shape and
overtone that your pearl jewelry piece exhibits.
