Grown out of Akoya oysters are Akoya pearls which are among the most popular types of pearls of today. These pearls are often cultured and harvested in the farms of Japan and China. Generally, an Akoya pearl is considered as the most lustrous of all pearls and this significantly elevates the quality of the pearl.
However, the pearl's luster is only one of the five qualities that are being considered to determine the quality of the pearls. These certain qualities include color, size, surface, and shape of the pearl.
The pearls' color is vast which basically includes the colors blue, green, gold, white, cream, silver, black, champagne, and many more. Pearls usually have overtones that appear to be very evident from the pearl's basic color. Akoya pearls are often white or cream in color accentuated with overtones like silver, cream, or rose. It is through the color of the pearl that a person is able to determine the best pearl for her.
The quality of pearl is also greatly influenced by its sheer size. Typically, a pearl with a larger size fairly has a much higher price. This is done by simply measuring the diameter of the pearl in terms of millimeters. Akoya pearls however, tend to be small as they are grown from the smallest pearl-producing oyster of today. The average measurement of an Akoya pearl often appears to be within 6-8 millimeters and is basically smaller in comparison with Tahitian, freshwater, and South Sea pearls. The general size of Akoya pearls fits within 6-8 millimeters and is somewhat smaller than freshwater, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls.
It is also through the smoothness of the pearl's surface that its quality is clearly stated. A smooth surface is basically characterized by zero spots, no discolorations, and without bumps and spots. In most cases, Akoya pearls appear as shiny and reflective pearls which are an important factor in raising the quality of the pearls.
Freshwater pearls also vary in their shapes. They sometimes appear in tear-drop shapes, button shapes that are flattened into a disk-like button, ringed pearls, and the baroque pearls. Asymmetrical and abstract simply define baroque pearls. However, the rarest shape of pearls is the perfect round shape and is often very expensive. One good example is the Akoya pearl which often comes out to have round or near-round shapes. These basic details of Akoya pearls rightfully place Akoya pearls at the top. Nowadays, Akoya pearls are a crowd's favorite and are considered as the perfect element needed in coming up with the finest of jewelries.
