Akoya pearl gradation necklace

This is an Akoya pearl necklace.

In my work with pearls, leftover pearls inevitably accumulate. This time, I made a necklace using leftover pearls from 8.5mm and 6.5mm necklaces. It turned into an interesting necklace where the pearl sizes gradually transition from 8.5mm to 6.5mm. Although there are relatively more pearls with visible blemishes, the luster is slightly above average.

One unique feature of this necklace is how its appearance changes depending on whether you wear the clasp at the back of the neck or at the front.

Additionally, some of the pearls in this necklace were acquired when Akoya pearl prices were lower, so this necklace is comparatively affordable. Personally, I hope that more people can enjoy wearing pearls in their everyday lives. I created this necklace using colorful thread and an all-knot technique to give it a more playful and casual look.

I designed this necklace to be asymmetrical, but if you’d prefer the pearls to be arranged symmetrically, I’d be happy to adjust the design to your liking.

So, this time, I crafted a slightly unconventional necklace using leftover pearls. The three types of pearls, despite being from different sources, have similar colors and vibes, so they combined beautifully into a single piece.

Today is November 4, 2024. It’s also my mother’s birthday. Over the weekend, I returned to my family’s home with my brother and his family to celebrate her birthday. I typically work on pearl products during the weekends, but because I’ve had family commitments last weekend and this one, I haven’t been able to make as many products recently. I returned home today, and as I looked through my pearls and wondered what to create next, I realized I could make a necklace with these pearls.

Kobe, Japan, is known as the city of pearls, with a thriving pearl industry. I regularly meet with pearl dealers in Kobe, and recently, I’ve heard that Akoya pearl sales have been slow. In recent years, Akoya pearl prices have surged, and consumers have struggled to keep up. Until last year, Chinese buyers were heavily purchasing Akoya pearls, but this year, sales have dropped by about 90% compared to last year. My Akoya pearl products have also become significantly more expensive compared to a few years ago, reflecting the market. There’s not much I can do about this, as it’s tied to the broader Akoya pearl market. For about ten years, the prices for Akoya pearls remained relatively stable, but they started to rise about two years ago, with forecasts suggesting they might decrease slightly next year.

Not only Akoya pearls but rice prices in Japan are also increasing. Since rice is a staple for the Japanese, a price increase isn’t ideal. However, it’s also true that rice farmers have been in a long-standing struggle to make a profit. Japan has faced nearly 30 years of economic stagnation, leading to chronic deflation. Only recently has deflation eased, and prices have started to rise.

My father’s generation experienced annual salary increases, but for my generation in our 40s, starting salaries have remained almost the same for the past 30 years.

Will prices and wages continue to rise in the future? It’s possible that this situation could impact the Akoya pearl market as well.

As for myself, I aim to maintain fair pricing that aligns with the Akoya pearl market. As a pearl seller, I don’t want to undersell Akoya pearls, but I also don’t want to price them unreasonably high, as I hope many people will enjoy Akoya pearls. I hope you continue to enjoy shopping！

 

 

This necklace is also for sale on Etsy. The description has been taken from Etsy and has been discounted from the Etsy price.

The sale price is valid until the end of November 2024.