AGTA News - "Chinese/Baby Akoya" are Actually Nucleated FWPs!

The American Gem Trade Association just came out with a News Report about some nucleated freshwater -known as "Edison"- pearls being passed off as "Baby Akoya Pearls" (gotta love the name!), misrepresenting them as saltwater Akoya pearls.

Since the article's content cannot be shared (not even a bit!) I will just add the link HERE so you may read the entirety of the text.

 

Thanks for sharing the article, Douglas! A big reason for making pearl purchases through reputable sources, unless it’s not of personal importance. When I was visiting Takahashi Pearl in Kobe this fall, Mr. Seki showed me some baby freshwater he had purchased out of curiosity to compare with their baby Akoya. It’s so difficult to discern anymore… (the top 4 white strands are baby Akoya.

 

The American Gem Trade Association just came out with a News Report about some nucleated freshwater -known as "Edison"- pearls being passed off as "Baby Akoya Pearls" (gotta love the name!), misrepresenting them as saltwater Akoya pearls.

Since the article's content cannot be shared (not even a bit!) I will just add the link HERE so you may read the entirety of the text.

I thought that Hyriopsis cumingii was a freshwater mussel species, not an oyster…
Very interesting article. Buyer beware!

 

Very interesting. The akoyas have a shine that the freshies don't, but the freshies are really, really close.

 

"Baby Akoya Pearls"

Anyone who has been to Perú shopping for 'Baby Alpaca' is familiar with the precautionary advice 'MAYBE Alpaca'.

 

They've been around for a couple of years or so. It's another Grace thing, along with dyed pretend Tahitians, mostly around 10mm (which look quite good from a distance, well matched strands with even some peacock-ery). (plus of course the dyed gold south seas and the dyed purples

 

I thought that Hyriopsis cumingii was a freshwater mussel species, not an oyster…
Very interesting article. Buyer beware!

Hyriopsis is indeed a Pearly mussel, not pearl oyster.

 

Hyriopsis is indeed a Pearly mussel, not pearl oyster.

What difference of mussel and oyster?

 

There's been a company floating around on Facebook ads ... they've used at least 4 different company names now, but clearly the same company/group, right down to some of the "happy customer" comments. Genuine "Akoya" pearl strands, certified by GIA, straight from pearl farmers in Japan, grown in Japanese lakes and oceans ... 10mm .. 12mm etc. for $55.00 - $79.00 or so. And if you go to their website(s), video clips and photos; many of you will recognize as the images belong to ... PP, Kamoka, maybe SOC ... and some random Chinese pearl farms using industrial fire hoses. Yah, NO. I've been posting "Buyer Beware" notes in their comments so last week ... they posted inviting me to become a "Super Fan" LOL , the algorithm can't tell a positive comment from a negative comment. Any attention is better than no attention? Sigh.

 

There's been a company floating around on Facebook ads ... they've used at least 4 different company names now, but clearly the same company/group, right down to some of the "happy customer" comments. Genuine "Akoya" pearl strands, certified by GIA, straight from pearl farmers in Japan, grown in Japanese lakes and oceans ... 10mm .. 12mm etc. for $55.00 - $79.00 or so. And if you go to their website(s), video clips and photos; many of you will recognize as the images belong to ... PP, Kamoka, maybe SOC ... and some random Chinese pearl farms using industrial fire hoses. Yah, NO. I've been posting "Buyer Beware" notes in their comments so last week ... they posted inviting me to become a "Super Fan" LOL , the algorithm can't tell a positive comment from a negative comment. Any attention is better than no attention? Sigh.

I've seen that company too, and under several different names.

In the past year we've had two other companies steal our photos and even product descriptions. One looked like a very legitimate site (and still does since the site is live and advertising today), apart from all the stolen photos. They ignored all our emails. Facebook and Instagram comments, and the telephone numbers don't work. Adding a telephone number is part of the scam. It makes them appear to be more legit, even there is never an intention to actually receive calls.

The addresses are often faked too. The website that stole our images and appears to be a legit site has a California address listed on their website. So they appear to be local, but ship from China.

 

There's been a company floating around on Facebook ads ... they've used at least 4 different company names now, but clearly the same company/group, right down to some of the "happy customer" comments. Genuine "Akoya" pearl strands, certified by GIA, straight from pearl farmers in Japan, grown in Japanese lakes and oceans ... 10mm .. 12mm etc. for $55.00 - $79.00 or so. And if you go to their website(s), video clips and photos; many of you will recognize as the images belong to ... PP, Kamoka, maybe SOC ... and some random Chinese pearl farms using industrial fire hoses. Yah, NO. I've been posting "Buyer Beware" notes in their comments so last week ... they posted inviting me to become a "Super Fan" LOL , the algorithm can't tell a positive comment from a negative comment. Any attention is better than no attention? Sigh.

Which company?

 

What difference of mussel and oyster?

You can check some info HERE

 

You can check some info HERE

Wow, thank you very much! This made me know more about pearls.

 

Thanks for sharing the article. I'd like to introduce myself as Eric Yen. Second generation wholesaler in the industry.
Hope to learn from all of you.

btw, original draft was posted here: https://www.yensjewelry.com/confused-by-the-term-chinese-akoya-heres-why/

 

Here's another company .. But this one is worse, it's a closeout dealer selling to retail stores. So these stores buying closeouts would be marketing them incorrectly.

 

And here's the copy-cat certs coming out of China.. Apparently the institution on the cert doesn't have a website, even though it states that it does. Also note, they call these AKIRA

 

I saw them on IG - sent a note to friends saying why pay so much for Hanadama when we can buy them for 65$. lol. Seriously you look at the site and every 2 min a note pops up saying someone from ( fill in a city ) has just purchased. ridiculous

 

Which company?

I've seen these too and I laugh every time I see them.

 

Ugh. I haven't seen these before.

The address is Fa Yuen Street in Mongkok. That's not an address, it's a street market close to Ladies Market and Goldfish. It's probably a great place for all sorts of knock-offs.

They really did a poor copy job with these. Even research is spelled wrong.

 

Ugh. I haven't seen these before.

The address is Fa Yuen Street in Mongkok. That's not an address, it's a street market close to Ladies Market and Goldfish. It's probably a great place for all sorts of knock-offs.

They really did a poor copy job with these. Even research is spelled wrong.

All kind of crazy things come from China. There are maybe 3 different certs available for Chinese AK pearls. All could be found in the far end of the China pavilion in HK show (AsiaWorld)