The harvesting season for pearls is set to begin tomorrow. Originally scheduled for mid-December, it seems that the seawater temperature has dropped earlier than anticipated. A decrease in seawater temperature weakens the activity of Akoya oysters, leading to a reduction in the amount of nacre they secrete. A lower secretion of nacre results in the creation of a more finely textured surface on pearls.
During warmer periods like summer, when the water temperature is high, Akoya oysters become more active, and the amount of nacre they secrete increases. However, pearls grown during this time tend to be larger but have a rougher surface. Therefore, pearl harvesting is conducted in the colder winter months to ensure a smooth surface and enhance brilliance.
The pearl harvesting season for this year is scheduled from December 7th to around Christmas. During this period, pearls harvested will come from Akoya oysters that underwent nucleus implantation from August to December of the previous year. In the new year (January 2023), pearls from Akoya oysters that underwent nucleus implantation from April to June 2023 will be harvested. To optimize the cultivation period, Akoya oysters with longer cultivation periods are harvested early, while those with shorter periods are harvested in the new year to extend the cultivation period.
I don’t personally extract pearls from Akoya oysters brought in from the sea; my role is to meticulously sort the collected pearls. On average, 30,000 to 50,000 pearls are harvested per day, weighing between 17 to 30 kilograms. In terms of volume, this is equivalent to 2 to 4 large household baskets.
Typically, an exclusive auction for pearls harvested in January is held shortly after the harvesting season, significantly impacting the financial performance of our aquaculture company. Consequently, tension among company executives rises during this period, and individuals like me, at the lower rungs, strive to avoid causing any disturbances. However, due to an unusually high market valuation in this year’s auction, the atmosphere among company executives seems more relaxed than usual.
Regardless, I plan to visit the pearl cultivation farm around next week when a substantial number of harvested pearls will likely accumulate. I look forward to meeting the freshly harvested pearls and hope to share them with you all.
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