Types of Pearls

Akoya (Pearls)

Akoya is the Japanese word for saltwater.  Akoya pearls are the most popular of all cultured pearls, renowned for their beauty, roundness and high lustre.  Akoya pearls have the widest range of colours, combinations and overtones, the most popular being white with pink overtones flattering many types of skin tones.

Black Pearls

Tahitian Pearls grow in large black-lipped oysters in salt waters of Tahiti/French Polynesia. The natural black color is particularly famous. Common colors are black, gray, blue and peacock green. Perfectly round Tahitian pearls with nearly flawless surface and remarkable luster are considered the highest quality.

South Sea Pearls

Often called ‘Noble Pearls’, they are cultivated in the white lipped or silver lipped or gold lipped oyster which is much larger than the Akoya oyster.  They have a much thicker nacre and are much larger, growing up to 8 – 16 mm in diameter.  They are rich and lustrous and their very size makes them really stand out.  Mostly grown in the warm waters off the north west coast of Western Australia, Philippines and Indonesia.  The oyster is delicate making them harder to grow and therefore more rare.  They also have a very high price tag when compared to their smaller cousins. 

Shapes

Round – self explanatory, perfectly round

Near round – not quite round, slightly oval

Drop – pear shaped

Button – Round circumference but flatter

Baroque – Irregular shaped to a greater and lesser degree – Semi-baroque

Circle – displaying rings in the surface of the pearl