Early last century, Kokichi Mikimoto made cultured pearls from Japan famous.

The Akoya (Pinctada fucata martensii ­average size three to four inches) is one of those abundant oysters whose shell traditionally had no value, but occasionally produced small, fine natural pearls. Mikimoto pioneered pearl culture technology resulting in the first cultured Akoya pearls on the world market. He is consequently regarded as the originator of the cultured pearl.
Mikimoto's original techniques required the Akoya oyster be farmed four to five years to deposit sufficient nacre (approximately one millimeter thick) to form a pearl averaging three to six millimeters. Pearl shapes and colors varied greatly.

Industrial pollution of Japan's seas meant that from the 1960s, the Akoya could no longer survive so long in the ocean and the industry changed direction. Culturing time was reduced drastically to six to twelve months. Ways to achieve pearl quality have necessarily shifted the emphasis from thickness of nacre to artificial enhancements, bleaching, and color dyeing.

As a consequence, the appearance of today's Akoya pearl is probably much more desirable to the consumer. It can now be produced in larger sizes from two to nine millimeters. Color and luster are bright and almost all pearls are round, allowing more easily produced, well­matched strands of pearls. Colors range from cream to blue, with the best quality pearls being dyed white-pink. Adequate nacre thickness is generally regarded as a minimum of a tenth of a millimeter.

The downside is that artificial pearl enhancements are only temporary. You may notice a gradual reduction of pearl luster and color after two to three years.

Akoya shells can support the growth of up to five pearls at once in each shell, but the pearls are less valuable than South Sea and Tahitian pearls.

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