Akoya is the Japanese word for Saltwater. Akoya pearls are cultured saltwater pearls which are cultivated from the oyster species Pinctada fucata martensii, primarily in Japan and China. Renowned for their luster, Akoya pearls are the pearls most often used in necklaces. They are generally white or cream colored, and have overtone colors of rose, yellow, or green.
After the development of modern pearl culturing techniques by Kokichi Mikimoto in the early part of the 20th century, akoyas from Japan became the first pearls to be cultured on a large scale. They continue to be popular today, although production of Japanese akoyas has declined somewhat in recent years, due to water pollution and disease.
The akoya oyster is the smallest pearl-producing oyster, so akoya pearls also tend to be small, ranging in size from about 2 to 11 millimeters. They also tend to be the most consistently round and near round pearls, making them ideal in terms of matching for multi-pearl jewelry such as strands, bracelets, etc.
