Akoya studs

These are Akoya pearl earrings with pearls measuring 7.87mm and 7.83mm. The metal fittings are made of K18 gold, not gold-filled or gold-plated.

The pearls have retained this color since they were harvested. They have a deep grayish hue, almost like that of Tahitian pearls. On a scale of 1 to 5, the luster is about 3.5 points. For me, 5 points would indicate a mirror-like luster.

One of the pearls has this deep gray color with subtle red and green overtones coming from within the core. On the side of the pearl, there’s a very small raised wound, which you can see on the right pearl in the fourth photo. The other pearl has a slight discoloration resembling a spot on the lower part where the metal fitting is attached. However, the color appears even when viewed from the front. It’s like the dark side of the moon that remains hidden from Earth.

Also, I’ve switched to larger earring backs this time. I’ve never received complaints about the pearls themselves, which might be because my photography skills aren’t great. However, I’ve had some dissatisfaction expressed about the earring backs. Previously, I used K18 gold backs encased in silicone, but I’ve decided to stop using them. Even though they were K18 gold, they were small, making them expensive yet difficult to use.

After some deliberation, I took the plunge and switched to 100% silicone backs. This change made them easier to use and allowed me to reduce the price.

As I write this, I have these earrings in front of me and occasionally glance at them. For over ten years, I’ve been involved in pearl harvesting every year, sorting through all the pearls. Sometimes, the annual pearl harvest could weigh nearly a ton.

Even with that experience, I find these dark, almost grayish pearls to be rare. The base color is a deep purple with a hint of red and green overtones, which makes them resemble Earth. But since Earth isn’t this dark, I’ve named them “Night Earth.”

By the way, in China, pearls that are even darker than natural blue pearls, almost black, are currently popular. They call these pearls “Black Pearls.” As a pearl dealer, it’s troublesome when people give names to pearls like this. The Chinese are good at branding and selling anything.

This spring, I received many requests for “Black Pearls.” In the past, it was “Hanadama,” then “Tennyo,” followed by “Aurora,” “Muchoshoku,” “Madama,” and now, “Black Pearl.” With the exception of “Black Pearl,” all of these are names arbitrarily given by a certain pearl certification body in Japan, but it’s unclear who named “Black Pearl.” When Kobe pearl dealers hear “Black Pearl,” they get confused. “Wait, is that Tahitian pearl? Akoya? Why?”

Pearl dealers use only a few terms to describe Akoya pearls. It’s either “round” or “baroque,” and either “white” or “black.” The distinction between “white” and “black” becomes complex when considering the previously mentioned “Black Pearl,” but let’s set that aside here. It’s hard for me to explain the nuances unique to the Japanese language.

Basically, most pearl dealers first distinguish pearls as either round or misshapen. Then they categorize them as either white or black, with white-pink tones referred to as “white” and natural blue tones as “black” or “blue.” Older dealers and pearl farmers are more likely to use the term “black.” Even if the natural-colored pearls are silver or grayish, pearl dealers often call them “black” or “blue.” I, too, have a habit of using these terms. However, in retail, this can easily mislead general consumers.

In fact, my beloved Pearl Paradise correctly refers to natural-colored pearls as “silver” or “gray” based on their actual color.

I hope those reading this don’t end up thinking, “What is he talking about?”

To use a simple analogy, it’s like traffic lights. In Japan, the signal to go is called “blue,” but the actual color of the traffic light is green. When I was a child, I told my parents, “Dad, you say it’s blue, but the signal light is green.” My father scolded me, saying, “Don’t be so picky.”

On this store, I usually label all natural-colored pearls as “natural blue.” But this is merely a “categorization” term within the pearl industry. Some consumers might see this and think, “No way, this isn’t blue. I can’t trust this store.”

Anyway, long explanation short, this deep purple pearl is rare. But just because it’s rare, I don’t reflect that rarity in the price. I judge primarily based on shape, luster, and the extent of the wounds.

By the way, these earrings were made in late August 2024. In mid-August, I received a large batch of natural-colored pearls after they had been processed. From that batch, I selected the highest quality pearls and created 20 pairs of earrings. These earrings are one of those pairs.

The sorting, pairing, and drilling processes for these pearls are documented on YouTube. If you’re interested, please take a look.

You can learn a bit about how these earrings came to be. There’s also a video comparing them to the other 20 pairs. It’s challenging to buy pearls through a monitor, so I’ve recorded as much of the production process as possible to serve as a reference.

And I believe it’s also important to know “who is selling these pearls.”

This product description is the same. If I wanted, I could write a stylish, smart, clever, intelligent, and elegant product description. But by writing a long and disorganized text like this, I think it helps people understand “the kind of person handling these pearls.” I’m writing as I am, so if this resonates with someone, I’m happy, and it’s good for the buyer too.

Pearls are a luxury item. They’re not necessary for life. But because they’re a luxury, I want people to buy pearls from a shop where they feel in tune with the vibe.

If you have time, please take a look at my other pearl products.
Thank you for reading this far.