Akoya cultured pearls are known for their perfectly round shape and bright reflective luster. Akoya pearls are considered the classic pearl and are what most people think of when pearls come to mind.
A nacreous pearl is made from layers of nacre, by the same living process as is used in the secretion of the mother of pearl which lines the shell. Natural (or wild) pearls, formed without human intervention, are very rare.
Akoya pearls are the preeminent cultured pearls. They are the pearls that the Mikimoto brand popularized. Prized by royalty and pearl connoisseurs for centuries, Akoya pearls have long been coveted for their perfectly round shape, richness, and deep luster.
Real pearls are a precious gemstone made by oysters, mussels and various other bivalve mollusk species. Most real pearls today are cultured or farmed, by inserting material into a mollusk, after which the mollusk lays down concentric layers of nacre until a pearl is formed.
Natural pearls grow in the wild without human intervention. They are very rare, and most natural pearls in the market today are antique. Cultured pearls are grown in pearl farms, and are the direct result of human intervention. The vast majority of pearls in the pearl/jewelry market are cultured pearls.
Freshwater pearls are cheaper because they are easier to extract, making sea pearls more valued. Why? Sea pearls are larger, more beautiful in shape, luster, smoother surface and, of course, much more expensive than freshwater pearls.
Natural Pearls are extremely are. Only one in 10,000 oysters will produce a Natural Pearl and of those only one in a million will be gem quality. Only about half of 1 percent of the world's pearls are Natural.
Most fake pearls that are on the market today come from China and are made in labs using materials such as plastic and glass. Today, fake pearls come under the disguise of many other names, including: Faux pearls. Pearl beads.
Today, natural pearls are extremely rare. Only 1 in about 10,000 wild oysters will yield a pearl and of those, only a small percentage achieve the size, shape and colour desirable to the jewellery industry.
– Australia: home to some of the finest quality pearls in the world, with a variety of colors ranging from white to black. The Australian pearl industry is worth an estimated $500 million per year.
South Sea. South Sea pearls are often referred to as the Rolls Royce of pearls. They are the largest and most valuable pearls grown today, with average sizes ranging from 10 to 15 millimeters.
The luster of good quality pearls is sharp and bright. You should be able to see your reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky, is of low quality. Within a pearl type, when other value factors are equal, the higher the luster, the more valuable the pearl.
While the akoya pearl is considered to be (overall) more rare and 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.
Perfectly Round pearls are the rarest and most valuable shape there is! Pearl producing mollusks are usually nucleated with spherical bead nuclei (in the hopes that the resulting pearl will be a perfect Round).
Gold Pearls
One of the largest and rarest pearls found around the world is Gold in color. They are Golden South Sea pearls, cultured in the Philippine Islands. Golden South Sea pearls have only been available to pearl lovers since the late 1970s, and are known as the “Rolls Royce” of cultured pearls.
Perfectly spherical and round pearls are rare, whereas baroque pearls are more abundant. This means that they are the more affordable option when it comes to this lustrous gem, making them incredible for statement jewelry that doesn't cost the world.
Identifying Real Pearls And Fake Pearl
An easy way to determine whether a pearl is real is to look at the surface; authentic pearls will have some slight irregularities and bumps that make them unique. For example, if you rub the pearl against your teeth, a real one will feel gritty, while a fake one will feel smooth.
This being so, a pearl's lustrous surface can easily be affected by any chemicals, oils, soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, and alkaline environments. As a strict guideline, you should never shower with your pearls on and always wipe them gently after wearing with a soft cloth.
Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf lying between both the Qatar peninsula and the Saudi Arabian eastern coast, is known as the "Island of Pearls." The phrase is derived from the country's well-known pearl farming industry.
Worn often and properly cared for, pearls can look as good in 50 years as they did the day they left the store. Pearls are not the most durable of gems. Most everyday items at home and in the office are tougher than pearls, so careless contact can cause damage them over time.
While pearls may appear hard and shiny, the surface of a pearl is actually quite porous, and will absorb the natural oils from your body. If pearls are not worn every four months or so, they can dry out and become dull and yellowed.
Real pearls are cold to touch for the first couple of seconds before adjusting to your body temperature. Fake plastic pearls will be room temperature to begin with and you won't feel the coolness when you touch them.
The process of producing a pearl can range from 6 months to several years. Even before this, it takes about 3 years for the mollusk to reach a mature age in order to produce a pearl. A mollusk is only able to begin the pearl making process naturally or with the help of humans when it reaches this mature age.