After the read of What are Akoya Pearls article, you will learn about the below.
What is Akoya pearl?
What are Japanese Akoya pearls?
The historical origin of Akoya pearl
Colours of Akoya pearls
Akoya Pearl grading guide
AAA Akoya pearls
How to pick a pearl Akoya?
Is Akoya pearl valuable?
How do you care for Akoya pearls?
What is Akoya pearl?
The Akoya pearl is a saltwater cultured pearl from the Akoya oyster (Pinctada fucata martensii). Because Akoya is the most abundant saltwater pearl with the longest cultured history, information on the Akoya pearl is abundant! Let’s learn more about it.
What is unique about Akoya pearls?
Saltwater pearls, especially the Akoya variant, are highly regarded worldwide. They are preferred to freshwater pearls due to their intense luster, beautiful color, and near-perfect roundness. As a result, they command a higher market value than other kinds of cultured pearls.
What are Japanese Akoya pearls?
Japanese pearls are divided into fresh and saltwater pearls, but only Japanese saltwater pearls are called Japanese AKOYA pearls.
Akoya pearls are a variety of saltwater pearls, cultured from Japan. The mother shell that produces it is the marsupial, also known as the Hopu pearl mother shell. This mother shell is called an Akoya oyster in Japan.
Usually, the shell is 6-7 cm long, 7-8cm high, and 2.5-3cm thick, and originates mainly from the Seto Inland Sea around Mie, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Ehime Prefectures in Japan. Because of the cold waters, the beads are small, bright, crystal clear, round, and glossy, and have the reputation of being small light bulbs.
Common diameter of 5 ~ 8mm, the largest 11mm, bead layer thickness of 0.15-0.5mm common, more than 0.4 pearl quality is better (Ama bead layer is 0.4mm up to standard).
The current main cultured place is Japan, but the origin comes from Hepu, Guangxi, China. Chinese Akoya pearls are mainly produced in Guangxi and Guangdong.
The historical origin of Akoya Pearl
It has already been said that Akoya pearls are imported from China to Japan, Guangxi Hepu from ancient times have been rich in pearls, and the local output of the pearl is also named Hepu Pearl.
Hepu pearl is the output of Pinctada martensii’s mother-of-pearl, and can also be said to be the predecessor of Akoya pearls, through the evolution of the process of importation into Japan, and later through the cultivation of cultivation technology improvement, the birth of the current Japanese Akoya pearls.
Colours of Akoya pearls
Akoya pearls usually have a strong and varied luster on their surface and are known as the little light bulb of the pearl world.
Akoya pearls come in a wide range of colors: white, pink, silver-blue, gold, etc., and are usually accompanied by accompanying colors, such as pink-white and pink-green accompanying colors, which are slightly more expensive because they are prettier.
What is the best color pearl for Akoya?
Traditionally White Colors: The Akoya pearl offers many color varieties other than white, but the most sought-after pearl color is the traditional white hue, tinged with overtones of rose, silver, and cream.
Akoya pearl grading guide
The certificate issued by Japan’s True Research Institute has a professional classification of the colors of Akoya pearls.
Akoya pearls have four main colors: white series, blue series, cream series, gold series, and mixed colors.
| Akoya Pearl Classification Types | ||
| White overtones | Aurora Tennyo | Blue, green, red, and orange halos may appear |
| Hanadama Akoya pearls | Diameter >6mm with layers >0.4mm | |
| Aurora Sairindama | The highest quality white Akoya pearls <6mm in diameter. | |
| Silver/Blue overtones | Aurora Madama | Highest quality for diameter >6mm |
| Aurora Saiundama | Highest quality for diameter <6mm | |
| Blue Rose | Hanadama Akoya pearls with the strongest interference colors | |
| Cream/Ivy overtones | Aurora Akoya-quene | Highest quality >6mm in diameter |
| Aurora Rose | Highest quality >6mm in diameter | |
| Blue Baroque overtones | Northern Lights Beads | Aurora Akoya-queen |
AAA Akoya pearls
Cultured Akoya pearls are graded using the Japanese Pearl Grading System, using the A-AAA Scale with the addition of Hanadama Akoya pearls representing the highest pinnacle of the pearl type.
White overtones Akoya pearl type
Special Selection: The exclusive name used to describe the finest Akoya pearls.
Tennyo: White Akoya pearls of 6mm or more, with a layer thickness of 0.4mm or more, round in shape, with flaws, luster, and brightness in accordance with the standards set by the Genuine Scientific Research, and with the co-existence of three colors of the interference color under a translucent light meter.
This is the benchmark for becoming a celestial maiden:
Roundness: Grade A
Lustre: Grade A
Shape: Grade A
Flaw: Grade A
Bead chromaticity: Grade A
Difference between Tennyo Akoya pearls and Special Selection Akoya pearls: Tennyo is seen under a transilluminator as a coexistence of the three colors of the interference color.
Hanadama Akoya pearls/Flower pearls: round, lustrous, white Akoya pearls with a slight pinkish tint, accounting for approximately 3% of the total Akoya pearl production.
It is the benchmark for flower pearls:
Roundness: Grade A
Lustre: Grade A
Shape: Grade A
Flaw: Grade A
Pearl color continuity: Grade A
What is the Aurora Borealis?
“Dr. Komatsu, the director of the Japan Academy of Pearl Science, discovered in 2001 the phenomenon of “interfering light reflected from the lower hemisphere of a pearl”, which is known as the “aurora effect”, and which is identified not with the naked eye, but with a translucent instrument.
Aurora Sairindama
Aurora Sairindama with a diameter of less than 6mm Hanadama Akoya pearls is given a special designation of the highest quality by the Hanadama Pearl Research Institute.
What is Saiundama?
Saiundama is the same quality as Madama, the highest quality Akoya of the blue series with a diameter of less than 6mm.
Aurora Sairindama baby pearls: The exclusive term for Akoya beads under 6mm, which can be understood as small-sized Hanadama Akoya pearls/Flower pearls in comparison.
ROSE: There is no size limitation, but the strongest luster is even stronger than that of the middle and upper quality of the Aurora Sairindama and Hanadama, with fewer flaws and the roundness ranges from round to nearly round.
It is a benchmark for Rose:
Roundness: Grade A
Lustre: Grade A
Shape: Grade A
Flaw: Grade A
Color continuity of beads: Grade A
Difference between Hanadama Akoya pearls and Aurora Flower Pearls
Hanadama Akoya pearls generally refer to about 5% of the highest quality Akoya pearls, while Aurora Flower Pearl is a better quality pearl selected from the flower pearls. Generally, the following criteria must be met:
1. White Akoya pearls with a diameter of 6mm or more.
2. The thickness of the bead layer is 0.4mm or more.
3. The shape of the semicircular tolerance range
4. The degree of flaws in line with the standards of the Institute of Genuine Pearl Science (micro-flaw)
5. Luster is the most important, brightness and interference color should be in line with the standards of the Institute of Genuine Pearl Science.
Silver/Blue overtones Akoya pearl type
Aurora Madama: The highest quality of blue-grey Akoya pearls, the thickness of the bead layer should reach 0.5mm; the top Aurora Madama is also a rare panda in Akoya pearls.
Color cloud pearl: Refers to the diameter of 6mm below the blue Akoya pearls, equivalent to the small size of the Aurora Madama.
Blue rose: Natural silver-grey Akoya, skin light and Aurora Madama comparable to the color than the Aurora Madama deeper, just slightly more flaws than the Aurora Madama.
Gold overtones Akoya pearl type
Aurora Akoya-queen: Golden Akoya pearl with golden color on a creamy white body.
Empress Aurora: A touch of champagne, more intense than the Aurora Akoya-queen.
Mixed overtones Akoya pearl type
Queen of Mixed Colors: A combination of all akoya colors, made up of at least five or six types of pearls with excellent skin and light, such as yellow, pink, white, silver blue, and grey blue.
What are the Different Types of Akoya Pearl Shapes?
The shape of your pearls is an important consideration, both in terms of value, sophistication, and how they will complement other items in your wardrobe.
Available to purchase in a range of sizes up to 11mm, you’ll find they tend to fit into one of four average categories: round, drop, baroque, and circle baroque.
How to pick a pearl Akoya?
Japanese pearls Akoya selection tips
Japan’s saltwater pearls are generally what we often call Akoya pearls, this kind of pearl with a lustrous sense of brightness and exquisite small size and for the crowd, especially for the female audience, a small lustrous pearl earrings or pearl necklace, are extremely highlighting the temperament of the gentle and lovely.
Japanese sea water Akoya pearls how to choose, what are the purchase skills?
Japanese sea water Akoya pearl buying tips
1. Roundness
Japanese seawater pearls are cultured from the nucleus, so it is generally in favor of round. Plus Japan cultivates how many Japanese sea water pearls each year, the circulation of general control is more stringent, and does not blindly pursue the yield, pay attention to the quality of culture.
Pearl quality does not meet the standard of pearls rarely circulate to the market, so consumers usually come into contact with the roundness of Japanese seawater pearls are good, generally the standard of a round.
2. Size
Compared to other varieties of pearls, the Japanese seawater pearl head is relatively small, 7-9mm most common, and very few can be part of the 9-10mm.
Commonly has 5.5mm Akoya pearl, 6mm Akoya pearl, 6.5mm Akoya pearl, 7mm Akoya pearl, 7.5mm Akoya pearl, 8mm Akoya pearl, 8.5mm Akoya pearl, 9mm Akoya pearl, 9.5mm Akoya pearl, 10mm Akoya pearl, etc.
The larger the pearl, the longer it takes to cultivate and the smaller the production, so the larger the pearl, the higher the value.
Generally speaking, the older the corresponding should choose a relatively large saltwater pearl, 5-7MM is more suitable for young girls, and older can consider 7MM above.
3. Lustre
Lustre is the soul of the pearl. No light, less light pearls lack aura. Look at the light, the pearl should be placed flat on a white soft cloth, and you can see the pearl overflow of the warm luster; and the light to see, a good pearl is a good pearl, the pearl is a good pearl, the pearl is a good pearl.
And meet the light to see, a good pearl can be seen to emit colorful iridescent, richly variegated levels, you can also see such as the metallic texture of the sphere, and even reflect the human pupil, especially bright can be included in the A level, a little less for the B level.
4. Brightness
Because of its own characteristics of mother-of-pearl and environmental impact, the surface of the pearl more or less inevitable existence of natural imperfections, is a symbol of nature, generally 0.5 meters away from the imperfections can not be seen as an acceptable standard.
The standard of A-grade finish is 100% surface smoothness, the naked eye close to see no flaws. With a magnifying glass is difficult to see the flaws that are one in a million of the best of the best.
Is Akoya pearl valuable?
The price of Japanese saltwater pearls depends on the size, color, roundness, luster, and surface finish of Japanese saltwater pearls to determine the price.
While the Akoya pearl is considered to be (overall) rare and more valuable than the freshwater pearl, it is only the third most valuable commercially produced pearl, falling behind South Sea and Tahitians. It is still common to find top-quality akoya pearl strands retailing for more than $10,000, however.
Valuation of Akoya pearls
Size (Diameter)
As with diamonds, the higher the grade of an Akoya pearl, the more the diameter size affects the price.
This is because the natural growth of the mother shell and the pearl inside is slow, and the larger the nucleus, the more severe the rejection of the mother shell, potentially reducing the quality of the pearl. Even if there is only a 1mm difference, the price of a 7.5-8mm Akoya pearl can be very different from an 8.5-9mm Akoya pearl.
Luster
The luster of a pearl is one of the most important factors in determining its quality and is created by the reflection of light from the many layers of tiny calcium carbonate crystals (nacre) that make up the pearl.
When selecting pearls, the larger the pearl, the more nacre it has and the more luster it emits. The smoothness of the surface of the pearl, the consistency of the nacre, and the degree of impurity will all affect the luster of the pearl.
Natural color (body color)
The body color is the basic color of the pearl. Akoya pearls are white, creamy yellow, silver-blue, and gold. The thicker the nacre layer, the better the quality of the pearl. The fewer the blemishes, the better the quality of the pearl.
Generally speaking, shapes of pearls that are close to being round are more rare and more expensive. However, there are some baroque pearls (shaped pearls) with beautiful luster and strange shapes, which are also very popular!
How do you care for Akoya pearls?
When not being worn, your pearl jewelry should be stored in a soft cloth pouch or jewelry box to protect it from scratches or damage. Avoid storing pearl jewelry in extreme temperatures or conditions such as dryness and heat. This can affect the pearls’ luster and integrity.
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