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Akoya pearls
Anytime you see a traditional single-strand pearl necklace, it most likely is strung with Akoya cultured pearls. Akoya pearls were the first pearls to be cultured in the early 20th century, making pearl jewelry affordable for the masses. The Akoya oyster is the smallest pearl-producing oyster used in pearl culture today, so Akoya pearls also 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, making them ideal in terms of matching for multi-pearl jewelry such as strands and bracelets. Akoya pearls are cultured in the Pinctada fucata martensii, also known as the Akoya oyster. This mollusk is found and farmed primarily in Japan and China. Renowned for their luster, Akoya are considered the classic pearl. They are generally white or cream colored, with overtone colors of rose, silver, or cream. Akoya pearls are harvested after only 9-16 months, compared to South Sea pearls which are harvested after a minimum of two years. This is one of the main reasons why Akoya pearls are small in size. You may wonder why the prices of our Akoya pearls are so competitive. This is due to our freshwater barter with Akoya pearl farms from Japan which allows us to give our customers the best possible price for these beautiful pearls.