Akoya pearls are cultured in the Akoya oyster, which are mainly farmed in China and Japan. Akoyas are known for their luster, and they are considered to be the “classic” pearl. Akoya pearls are usually white or cream colored, with overtone colors of rose, silver, or cream. Akoya pearls tend to be small, ranging in size from about 2 to 11 millimeters. They also tend to be the most consistently round and near-round pearls, which makes them ideal for matching pearl jewelry sets such as necklace and earrings sets. These pearls are known for their pristine round shapes, which make them an ideal and popular choice for necklaces and matching earrings. However, aside from being consistently round, they can also have a semi-round, baroque and semi-baroqe shape. The ideal Akoya pearl is one that has the perfect amount of crystals as well as nacre, and is considered to be the most lustrous and beautiful of all pearls.
Now akoya oysters are grown in hatcheries to insure a constant supply. The oysters are fed a grown microscopic organism called plankton. A few months into their growth period the oysters are moved from the hatcheries to the cultivating areas where they are monitored and fed until they are strong enough to withstand the nucleating operation. In the operation, a technician inserts a shell bead nucleus together with a piece of mantle from a donor oyster into the mollusk’s gonad area. This piece of mantle forms a sac over the nucleus and the sac secretes nacre over the bead nucleus. This secretion will eventually lead to a cultured pearl.
Even though the Akoya pearl has been challenged by the look and luster of freshwater pearls, it still maintains its popularity today. This is because not only can it suit the taste and style of any occasion, as they can be worn elegant, chic or casual, but they are a taste of the true beauty that thrives and blossoms beneath the sea.
The average size of Akoya pearls range from as tiny as 2 mm to 9.5 mm. All sizes of these pearls can be used for akoya pearl jewelry purposes, but it is commonly the 5 -8 mm sized pearls that are used when making necklaces. Due to the different size range of the Akoya pearl, it is one of the most popular pearl choices among woman. Akoya pearls come in a variety of colors, such as blue, green, pink, rose, cream, white, silver and gold. The characteristic hues are attributed to the nacre structure of the pearl, and for this reason, cultivators focus on producing pearls that are made with the right quantities of each ingredient. When it comes down to quality, the thicker the nacre of the akoya pearl is, the more valuable and beautiful the pearl will be.