A gentle graduation of untreated Japanese Akoya pearls, rich in luster and full of subtle color variations. One golden pearl breaks the rhythm, giving this bracelet its name: Offbeat.

 

 

Offbeat — Japanese Akoya Pearl Bracelet

This is a bracelet made from Japanese Akoya pearls.

It is made entirely from untreated pearls, ranging in size from 5.5 to 6.9 mm. The pearls are arranged in a gentle graduation, becoming smaller toward both ends and larger toward the center of the bracelet.

 

 

If you look closely, you’ll notice that the colors are not uniform.

The pearls near both ends are relatively white, but as you move toward the center, they gradually take on slightly purple and brownish tones. Then, somewhere near the middle, a golden pearl suddenly appears.

Why did I arrange the pearls in such a seemingly carefully planned—or perhaps completely unplanned—way?

 

 

All these pearls came from the same lot. Several pairs of earrings and necklaces had already been made from that lot.

That’s right. The pearls left over from those pieces were used to make this bracelet.

They have strong luster and smooth surfaces, and their overall quality is quite good. However, because their colors were slightly inconsistent, they had been left unused.

 

 

One day, I decided to put these remaining pearls to good use by turning them into a bracelet.

Since I was going to make something with them, I arranged the pearls according to size, while also gradually shifting their colors from white to deeper shades.

The single golden pearl was personally very precious to me. However, there wasn’t much I could do with just one golden pearl, so I decided to take the plunge and incorporate it into the bracelet.

 

 

There is also another secret ingredient—although I haven’t exactly managed to keep it hidden.

The holes in these pearls were drilled slightly off-center.

As a result, the bracelet follows a subtly uneven, slightly distorted curve.

In the pearl industry, it is common practice to drill holes precisely through the center of each pearl.

But this time, I found myself wanting to break that rule, just a little.

 

 

When a pearl is drilled through its center, the pearls line up neatly when assembled into a necklace or bracelet.

However, when the holes are slightly off-center, that beautifully ordered line begins to lose its alignment.

When I made this bracelet, I deliberately wanted to see what that slightly disrupted arrangement would look like.

As a result, I decided that next time, I would go back to drilling the holes properly through the centers of the pearls.

 

 

Even so, these pearls have strong luster and beautifully smooth surfaces.

Their nacre is thick, and the layers of nacre appear to be very firmly bonded together.

You can really sense the distinctive hardness and solidity that well-formed pearl nacre can possess.

 

 

While the thickness of the nacre is quite apparent, it also gives the colors a somewhat heavy appearance.

Nevertheless, the pearls possess a rich, substantial luster that is entirely worthy of their status as gemstones.

If I were wearing this bracelet, I would be tempted to walk into a jewelry store and secretly show it off.

 

 

Product Specifications

Pearls: Japanese Akoya Pearls, Untreated
Pearl Size: 5.5–6.9 mm
Color: Natural Multicolor (White, Purple, Brown and Gold Tones)
Luster: Strong
Surface: Smooth
Length: 18.5 cm (Approx. 7.3 inches)
Construction: Hand-knotted with Lavender-Colored Thread
Clasp: Rhodium-Plated Clip-Type Clasp
Origin: Japan

 

 

Explore three stories from the Flower Jem Library, from the beauty of naturally colored Akoya pearls and the challenges of hand-knotting to the unexpected encounters that led to the beginning of Flower Jem.

Akoya bracelet

A Keshi Bracelet, Year-End Days, and Continuing as I Am

How Selling Pearls Led to My Etsy Journey

 

 

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