Golden Akoya Pearls

[Precious Pearl]

I love that the colour is natural and I'd like to get a pair of golden Akoya earrings and maybe a strand too (depending on the price). I would also like to see the Akoyas with the pink tone and the blue ones seems interesting too!

Some days ago I saw a picture of a natural coloured Akoya pearl here on Pearl Guide and it was gorgeous and I do think that natural coloured pearls are so much more special than the pearls that have been bleeched or dyed.

 

[jshepherd]

Just a couple of updates, I've heard back from The Pearl Science Lab about certification for golden akoya. I figured we would only certify hanadama grade, but Ueda-san wasn't sure if gold could be hanadama certed the way madama can. It turns out they do. But while the certificate is identical in every respect, the term "HANADAMA" is replaced by the term "KINSYOKU."

Earlier I mentioned the use of white saibo in Japan to produce white pearls, and Hector pointed out that the shells used for mantle tissue were engineered to be white. I have a picture of both now. The akoya shell on the left is used for its donor tissue, and the akoya shell on the right is the standard shell used to culture akoya pearls.

 

[Pearlgully]

What are the sizes of the golden Akoya and how thick is the nacre?

Gail

 

[jshepherd]

What are the sizes of the golden Akoya and how thick is the nacre?

Gail

They range from seven through eight millimeter, maybe a bit larger. The nacre appeared fine, but I won't know exact averages until the certs are done.

 

[barbie biggs]

Dang Jeremy:
Is there anything you can't find out about an oyster?
Love the pictures of the akoya shells. Always wondered if there was a difference between the ones used for donor tissue and culturing. Is it like that with mussels and also with SS?
Isn't a lot of color about where you place the donor tissue?
barbie

 

[pearlescence]

so am I right - the host mollusc is nothing but a surrogate - no genetic connection to the pearl. no influence over colour or amount of nacre secreted?

Presume some influence over shape since that may be dependent on how the graft tissue develops in the space available?

And general quality since that will be down to food and ambient conditions

nature and nurture?

One further question....since seawater pearls are cultured in the gonads of the molluscs can they then still reproduce? stock for the pearl farms comes from tiny freeborn and lured oysters - are these the progeny of the ones in the farm compass or are they wild ones so that the stock is random and not bred for each replenishment/generation? Although I suppose that in a near-closed environment such as a FP(ie Kamoka) lagoon there will be only a small pool either way

 

[hacostas]

so am I right - the host mollusc is nothing but a surrogate - no genetic connection to the pearl. no influence over colour or amount of nacre secreted?

if there is a genetic connection, it would be to the host, since some gonad (sperm, eggs, connective tissue) cells may stick to the nucleus and then get covered by nacre.

Presume some influence over shape since that may be dependent on how the graft tissue develops in the space available?

And general quality since that will be down to food and ambient conditions

well, the host also influences pearl development, everything that is laid on a nucleus/pearl has to first pass through the host tissues. Both are important, host and donor.

One further question....since seawater pearls are cultured in the gonads of the molluscs can they then still reproduce? stock for the pearl farms comes from tiny freeborn and lured oysters - are these the progeny of the ones in the farm compass or are they wild ones so that the stock is random and not bred for each replenishment/generation? Although I suppose that in a near-closed environment such as a FP(ie Kamoka) lagoon there will be only a small pool either way

not only they CAN reproduce. There are indications that grafting actually improves reproduction. Larger gonads, more synchronization and maybe more incidence of females. but this still needs to be studied with more detail.

 

[pearlescence]

Oh thank you for all that information. The science fascinates.

 

[Ramona]

Does the donor not influence the color of the pearl? If I understand this right, epithelial cells from the donor tissue secrete the nacre and enzymes secreted along would probably determine how the crystals are ordered.

Another question that I had was why the gonad? If the mantle tissue secretes the nacre naturally, it seems those cells are quite a distance away from the gonad. Does a pearl nucleus trigger a response that naturally comes from the gonad?

 

[GemGeek]

I finally gave up on my search for the white gold clasp I have around here and settled for something silver so I could knot up my silver akoyas. I also made a very simple pair of earrings so I could wear them the next day and still get some sleep.

I had to add beads to keep the clasp tips from rubbing on the pearls.

I just love them!

 

[barbie biggs]

Blaire:
I so wanted to see your silvers. I hate this "pending approval" thing!
barbie

 

[Johanna]

Jeremy, The brides in Massachusetts favor champagne in wedding shoes and dresses, and they all went crazy over a natural-color gloden Akoya lariat I brought to a wedding show this fall.

The golden Akoyas in your picture are gorgeous, and fascinating to women here -- I could move them and I would wear them.

The blue Akoyas -- both baroque and those with round shapes and smooth surfaces, are very popular here also. I bought strand from you, and my mother and others ooo and aah over it whenever I wear it.

Silver-blues and silver lavender colors are very, very popular in this area right now - and they look great with so many skin tones. I say go for it - women here think white is boring (though I agree that lustrous whites are incredible).

Seems like now would be the time to buy with so many Japanese farmers closing soon.

Thanks for showing us these.
Johanna

 

[GemGeek]

Well, akoyas don't look good in indirect lighting. Here is a better view:







You can see I had a strand with some blemishes, but it was my favorite!

 

[Hanaleimom]

I can't see the Blaire's latest photos from post #53, yet. Previous 2 photos are fabulous: both pearls and findings. I really like the clasp. Does this design come in vermeil by chance? Gold would be too expensive.

 

[Hanaleimom]

WHOA !!! Those are great shots that show pink overtone so well.

 

[pearlescence]

great pearls Blaire, and love that clasp - very seasonal!

 

[GemGeek]

I have seen the same clasp in vermeil, but can't find a source for you. I see them around a lot at shows.

 

[barbie biggs]

Just beautiful Blaire. Nice work.
barbie

 

[Nerida]

Blaire, those akoyas really could change my long held opinion on these pearls. They are stunning, and your finished piece is gorgeous.
Neck shot? Please??

 

[GemGeek]

It's Jeremy's fault that I now like akoyas. I never liked them until I saw that first natural-white hanadama strand. <sigh> I'm glad other people like them too!