PEARL TYPE

• Akoya —This type is most familiar to many jewelry customers. Japan and China both produce saltwater akoya cultured pearls.
• South Sea —Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines are leading sources of these saltwater cultured pearls.
• Tahitian —Cultivated primarily around the islands of French Polynesia (the most familiar of these is Tahiti), these saltwater cultured pearls usually range from white to black.
• Freshwater —These are usually cultured in freshwater lakes and ponds. They’re produced in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors. China and the US are the leading sources.

PEARL QUALITY

Akwaya maintains the strictest quality grading standards. Each pearl harvested is as individual as a fingerprint. Here are the five factors we use to assess quality.

• LUSTER
• SURFACE
• SHAPE
• COLOR
• SIZE

PEARL CARE

Pearls are organic gemstones that are vulnerable to acid, alkaline and extremes of humidity. To preserve your pearls' radiance, avoid letting them come into contact with cosmetics, hair spray, or perfume. Always put on your jewelry as a final touch, after applying The pearl's luster can also be harmed by perspiration. To prevent this, before returning your pearls to the jewelry box, wipe them gently with a soft cloth.

What does 'Real Pearl' mean?

A real pearl means that it can be both a naturally occurring pearl and a farmed freshwater pearl; a real pearl comes from a mollusk's mouth. Fake, or imitation, pearls are made from various materials such as glass, shell, or plastic and are coated to look shiny like a real pearl.

Important Distinctions

· Fake pearls appear too perfect. Since real pearls are made from nature, they will have some sort of imperfection on them. They won't be perfectly shiny or perfectly round.
· Fake pearls are lighter than real pearls.
· Fake pearls will all be the same size. Real pearls will vary in size along the strand, since they are each one of a kind.
· Under a microscope, fake pearls may have pieces missing from the coating where you can see the glass or plastic underneath.

Various Tests

The most widely known test is the "Tooth Test." This involves taking the pearls and rubbing them against the flat of your tooth. Real pearls will feel gritty while fake pears will be smooth.
Another test is the friction test. Take two of the pearls and rub them together, if you feel friction and there is residue, the pearls are likely real. If there is no friction and no residue, it is likely that they are fake.