When you sit down and envision a pearl necklace, what pops up in your head? It is very likely that is a perfectly matched necklace of round, lustrous pearls- and if so, the image that comes to mind is the famous Akoya saltwater pearl! Ever since Mikimoto revolutionized the glamorous world of jewelry by commercializing the first cultured Akoya pearls, this beautiful gem has captured the imaginations and won the hearts of all cultures around the world.
The cultured pearl was born out of Japan during the 1900’s as the result of many years of conducting trials and tests by three Japanese men: Nishikawa Mikimoto, Tatsuhei Mise and Tokishi Nishikawa. Experimenting independently on various nucleation methods with the Pinctada martensii oyster (the indigenous saltwater oyster that produces Akoya pearls) the researchers each discovered the surgical nucleation techniques that will force the oyster to create a pearl- this is the same technique used to this very day by nucleation technicians worldwide, known as the Nise-Mishekawa method. However, Mikimoto was the person who intuitively used his business proess to gain worldwide attention and has made a worldwide brand based off of his name.
For almost a century the Japanese maintained a monopoly on the Akoya pearl trade, guarding their cultivation and processing techniques jealously. These people have been revered for being the big players in pearls; the Japanese pearls are known to be the top pearls to be found. Growth times for the pearls (the amount of time that the oyster was allowed to secrete nacre over the nucleus) were approximately 3-5 years per pearl, ensuring thick, lustrous nacre layers that gave the pearls their renowned glow and shine. Due to this, the pearls are much more likely to withstand elements that may cause damage to the nacre such as sweat and perfumes.
However, as with any monopoly, it would not last forever. In order to satisfy a growing demand for their wonderful pearls- which had quickly staked their place as a staple of every woman’s wardrobe throughout the 1940’s and 50’s- the Japanese began cutting their growth times in order to accommodate the burgeoning market’s requirements, and quality began to suffer. Also, pollution and disease wreaked havoc and played a large part in the decline of Japanese pearl quality. With an eye toward the future, the Japanese have begun to culture larger pearls measuring over 8.0mm almost exclusively, focusing their efforts on maintaining their position as a leader, and the best source for gem-quality cultured pearls today.
China began culturing Akoya pearls as well starting in the 1960’s, although quality was acknowledged to be quite inferior to that of their Japanese neighbors. However, over the years the Chinese have rapidly gained ground in terms of quality and market share in an industry that was considered to be unshakeable. Concentrating their efforts on perfecting the smaller pearl sizes of 4.0mm to 8.0mm- as they have not yet mastered culturing the larger sizes that Japan is renowned for. Utilizing their vastly cheaper production costs than that of Japan, and adopting a wiser, more long-term approach in terms of pearl quality and reputation, China has proved that it is a force to be reckoned with in the pearling world.
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