LEARNING ABOUT
PEARLS
Learn about pearls
TYPE OF PEARLS
Japanese
Akoya pearl
Australia
South sea pearl
Tahiti pearl
French Polynesia
China
Freshwater pearl
More detail
Akoya pearl
Akoya
Pearls produced from the akoya pearl oyster. When a Japanese person thinks of pearls, they usually picture an Akoya pearl first. These pearls are where global pearl cultivation began. They are more likely to be round and nearly spherical in shape than other pearls, and their color and luster are said to be especially beautiful. Due to the oyster's size, 6-8mm pearls are the norm. At 9mm or more, the number being harvested drops significantly, giving them rarity value. In recent years, the production of small pearls of 5mm or less has fallen, making the price rise steeply. We source most of our Akoya pearls directly from pearl farms.
South sea pearl
Southsea
Harvested from the white-lip pearl oyster and cultivated in places such as Australia,Indonesia,and Philippines. These large pearls are mainly over 10mm in diameter. They are called South Sea pearls and commonly known as black-lip and white-lip pearls, although the name South Sea pearls is most often used to refer to the white-lip variety. Since 10mm Akoya pearls are quite rare, large pearls tend to be South Sea pearls. They are typically silver or white in color, but they can also be gold. Due to their size, flawless and perfectly round South Sea pearls are rare, and they can be seen in beautiful shapes such as teardrops.
Tahiti pearl
Tahitian
Pearls harvested from the black-lip pearl oyster and cultivated in the waters around French Polynesia
Tahiti. There are actually many varieties, ranging from silver to red, green, blue and black. This color variation comes from the red, yellow and green pigments of the pearl oyster. The pearl receives a multicolored surface from the combination of these pigments, and the refraction and reflection of light off its inner layers creates a magical interplay of colors. Peacock colored Tahitian pearls, which are the most highly valued type, account for only three percent of all black pearls produced.
Freshwater pearl
Freshwater
As the name suggests, freshwater pearls are harvested from lakes and rivers, unlike other varieties of pearl. In Japan they are produced at Lake Biwa, but they are mostly produced in China. Since multiple pearls can be harvested from a single pearl oyster and the oysters are quick to grow, there are many cheap freshwater pearls and some people may think of them as low quality. However, there are high quality pearls that have a wonderful luster even among freshwater pearls. It has recently become possible to produce large, perfectly round pearls for the first time, and there are also rare pink varieties.