Japanese Akoya Cultured Pearls
The classic pearl
The Japanese Akoya Pearl is the cultured saltwater pearl of the Akoya oyster, the Pinctada Fucata Martensii. The Akoya pearls were the first to be cultivated. The Akoya is considered the classic pearl with an nearly perfect round shape, a very intense shine and neutral colors.
![Collar doble de perlas Akoya](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1843/7219/files/Doble_Collar_de_perlas_cultivadas_Akoya_japonesas_5f476c35-3f12-4c94-ada2-0a53c0b1fade_600x600.jpg?v=1665144463)
Akoya Pearls from Japan are the ideal option if you are looking for a classic pearl necklace, bracelet or earrings. They are very elegant pearls that, due to their not too large size, can be used both daily and at any event.
Until the late 1990s, Akoya pearls were the most popular pearls in the world. With the improvement in quality of freshwater pearls and their cheaper price, these were gaining ground, but even so today, Akoyas are the ideal option for anyone looking for more exclusive pearls with a unique shine.
A good Akoya pearl necklace is to jewelry what a good black bag is to clothing, a basic that can be used in countless situations and never goes out of style.
Discover all our designs with Akoya pearls hereHow valuable are Akoya pearls?
Unlike the mussels that create freshwater pearls, Akoya pearl oysters rarely produce more than two pearls per harvest. Included in the oysters is a round mother-of-pearl core and a small piece of mantle tissue from a donor oyster. This small nucleus is the reason why Akoya pearls are often so round. This shape, combined with the high luster of high-quality Akoya pearls, and their relative scarcity compared to freshwater pearls, give Akoya pearls a higher value.
Compared to Australian or Tahiti, Akoya are the cheapest of these three saltwater pearls, due to their larger size and scarcity. However, as we commented in this other article, the value not only depends on the origin, the quality of the pearls in question also matters, so this is merely indicative.
At Secret & You, we only offer very high-quality Akoya pearls, hand-picked by our pearl expert. Because Akoyas are a more exclusive product per se, we believe it does not make sense to offer our customers lower quality Akoya pearls when they could instead purchase our excellent quality and value freshwater pearls that exceed in beauty to those other Akoya of inferior quality.
Sizes, shapes and colors
![Ostras de perla japonesa akoya](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1843/7219/files/Ostras_de_perla_Akoya_Japonesa.jpg?v=1559591204)
Pinctada Fucata Martensii, the Akoya pearl oyster from 1 month to 3 years, with Akoya pearls
Where do Akoya pearls come from?
Akoya pearls are currently cultivated in Japan, China and, to a lesser extent, Vietnam, Thailand and Australia. The vast majority of the world's Akoya pearls are produced in Japan, which is the undisputed center of production of Akoya pearls and is therefore known as Japan cultured pearls. China was once a real power, but Typhoon Paboo destroyed much of China's Akoya industry in 2007.
![Perla aponesa akoya en su concha](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1843/7219/files/Perlas_cultivadas_Akoya_japonesa_en_su_ostra.jpg?v=1559591282)
A little history of the Akoya Pearl
In 1908 he was granted a patent for the first and only method of cultivating round pearls in history.
![Hilos de perlas Japonesas akoya](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1843/7219/files/Collar_de_perlas_cultivadas_Akoya_japonesas.jpg?v=1559591017)
Strand of Akoya pearls with their characteristic mirror shine.
By 1916 Mikimoto was already cultivating Akoya pearls in a standardized way by opening several farms in different locations.
The success of the Mikimoto pearls was so great that they became a symbol of Japanese pride. However, outside of Japan, the world lived on the fringes of this discovery and continued to focus on the natural pearl trade. The big natural pearl dealers were not delighted with Mikimoto's discovery and even took it to court, since, according to them, it was an imitation as it was the result of human intervention. However, the resistance did not last long and in 1926 at the first international jewelry congress it was recognized and adopted the name "cultured pearl". Since then, all pearls produced with human intervention have been called this way.
In 1938 Mikimoto already had stores all over the world and had more than 350 farms that came to produce almost 10 million pearls per harvest. The popularity of pearls did not stop growing, but one event shook the industry and the entire world: World War II.
After World War II, a large part of the Mikimoto industry was devastated and production went from almost 10 million in the year 38 to barely 400. 000 in 1946. However, the American forces that occupied Japan began to show interest and requested that pearls be produced again, the condition being that they only be sold to the American Central Supply Office. Many of the American soldiers returned to the United States with Akoya pearl necklaces and the popularity of pearls grew again.
Mikimoto died in 1954 at the age of 96, according to himself, his longevity was aided by swallowing a pearl a day for much of his old age.
After his death, the industry continued to develop, reaching more than 4,500 farms in Japan in 1961.
Since 1961 until today, the industry has experienced many changes and the popularity of other types of pearls, such as freshwater pearls, has affected, however, Akoya pearls continue to be the quintessential medium-sized round pearl.