In this video, you can see the process of creating Akoya pearl stud earrings.
I’ve already drilled holes in the pearls with a 0.8mm diameter. The fittings are made of K18 yellow gold, and the core of the fittings is about 0.75mm thick. Most Japanese-made fittings seem to be compatible with pearls when you drill 0.8mm holes. However, with Silver 925 fittings, which are often a bit thicker, it’s common to drill holes around 0.9mm in diameter for the pearls.
The earrings that led a customer to contact me.
Making these earrings is a relatively straightforward process. I mix these two types of glue thoroughly. Then, I apply glue to the core and insert it into the hole in the pearl. I repeat this process twice. The drilled pearl holes often have residue after the first pass, so the second round is for proper adhesion. Repeating it twice significantly improves the success rate. Another important point is not to be too stingy with the glue. Some people say that a true professional only needs the minimum amount of glue to attach the pearl to the fittingss. However, his products, such as earrings and pendants, frequently have pearls coming off from the fittings afterward. It seems that being too frugal with the glue results in poor adhesion. He holds a certain status and has a high pride, so no one points this out to him. He still adheres to using the “minimum amount of glue.” This was a valuable lesson for me. I learned from him about attaching pearls to fittings, and initially, I also experienced pearls coming off the fittings frequently. Moreover, it taught me that having too much pride can limit the number of people who will point out your flaws. While it can be uncomfortable to hear interesting or helpful stories, as well as stories about your own shortcomings, it’s crucial to have people who will tell you about them based on your daily actions. Even if it makes me a bit uncomfortable, I often recall these lessons when making earrings with this glue.
I listened to the customer’s requests and created these pairs to present.
Now, these earrings were ordered by a new customer on Etsy.com. She wanted “dark blue Akoya pearls.” Dark blue is often seen in Baroque pearls because the thicker the nacre layer, the darker the blue. Dark blue is very rare in round pearls. Most round pearls have thinner nacre layers. Those familiar with vegetables like tomatoes and watermelons know that as they ripen, their shapes can become distorted. Of course, there are round pearls with thick nacre layers and strong luster, but they would be quite expensive. I primarily deal with Baroque blue pearls to make them accessible for everyone. Additionally, I personally love Baroque blue pearls the most. The price of pearls is determined by whether they are round, the presence of blemishes, nacre thickness, and luster. Color and size are matters of personal preference and should not affect the price. However, pearls are sold by weight, so larger pearls will be more expensive. Still, when comparing the price per gram, the size should not influence the cost. The advantage of Baroque blue pearls is that they are relatively more affordable due to their Baroque shape. With the lower price, you can select pearls with stronger luster and thicker nacre layers. In contrast, round pearls with thick nacre layers and strong luster can be very expensive. However, choosing Baroque pearls lowers the price. I am very particular about selecting pearls in this regard. The choice between Baroque and round is a matter of personal preference, but I think Baroque pearls are easy to develop an attachment to. Round pearls are the same everywhere you buy them, but Baroque pearls come in a variety of shapes. They’re quite charming, aren’t they?
Recently, I’ve been dedicating most of my time to YouTube and my own website, which has caused a slowdown in my original pearl product-making progress. In the future, I’d like to post on YouTube, various social media, and my personal website every time I create something, so that more people can enjoy pearls. Additionally, since I work for a company that owns Akoya pearl farms, I’d like to inform people about the charms of Akoya pearls from a pearl farming perspective. Oh, I almost forgot about the part regarding the order from the Etsy.com customer. She wanted “round and dark blue pearls,” but ultimately, I couldn’t provide intensely dark, round pearls. I suggested to her that if she likes dark pearls, Baroque pearls would be a good choice, but she said, “I do like Baroque pearls, but I want to try round, blue pearls.” They weren’t the intense blue she desired, but in the end, she chose the pearls shown in this video. She spent a lot of time carefully examining several pairs of pearls that I had presented to her. After narrowing it down to the final two pairs, she was quite torn between “light blue with strong luster and a clean surface” and “dark blue but with weaker luster than the other pair.” She chose the pair with strong luster and a clean surface, a choice I also supported. Lately, I’ve been devoting my time to social media and videos, and there haven’t been many orders, so it was truly enjoyable to exchange messages with customers and help them select pearls. She apologized for requesting photos of many pearls, but I told her that it’s precisely those moments that bring me happiness. Well then, until next time!
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