These are Natural Blue Akoya pearl earrings.

Round blue pearls are unusual in Flower Jem’s stock, but I found this pair while sorting my blue pearls. They would probably fall into the category called “Madama.”

Madama and Hanadama were originally pearl-farming terms used among people working at pearl farms. Today, they are also used commercially on grading certificates.

Certificates can help buyers judge pearls because pearl quality is not as clear-cut as an industrial product. Still, I do not believe a certificate always reflects a pearl’s true beauty or value, so Flower Jem does not normally include one unless requested.

When I used to sell pearls in a physical store, I compared two necklaces. One was round, had few surface marks, and came with a Hanadama certificate, but its luster was weaker and its nacre thinner. The other was slightly off-round, had stronger luster and thicker nacre, and no certificate. It was also about 30% less expensive.

Even customers who knew little about pearls often looked at the stronger-luster necklace and said, “Beautiful!”

Of course, shape is an important grading standard. But experiences like this made me feel that a certificate alone cannot fully explain the appeal of a pearl.

These earrings have no certificate, but as you can see in the photos and video, they are beautiful

pearls. Red, green, and other iridescent colors appear on their surface, almost like soap bubbles.

The Japanese word shabon in shabondama—soap bubble—is believed to come from the Portuguese word sabão, meaning soap. There is also a theory that Kyoto’s famous Pontocho district has Portuguese roots in its name.

I studied Brazilian Portuguese at university. I was not a particularly good student because I spent too much time in the university music club, but I still feel close to Portugal and Brazil.

I have not yet received an order from Portugal, and I look forward to writing a letter in Portuguese to a customer there someday. Thankfully, I have received several orders from Brazil.

It makes me very happy that a country I once studied can now connect with me again through pearls, something I am deeply passionate about today.

Pearl Bless You.

The Complexity of “Madama” and Pearl Certification

How to Choose Pearls: The Six Factors That Determine Pearl Beauty

Pearl Beauty: Quality, Preference & Price Influence

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