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Pearls - AKOYA

For years, the Akoya name was practically synonymous with the words "cultured pearls." The famous Japanese moniker stood strong for the better part of a century, thanks in great part to the work of a man named Kokichi Mikimoto. In 1893, Mikimoto developed and successfully marketed contemporary cultivation practices. Akoya pearls are raised in brackish seas and are prime examples of saltwater cultured pearls. Cultivation time spans from one to three years. Akoya pearls reside in smaller oysters – not mussels – from the scientific family. The resulting gems range from two to nine mm in size.