"For in my nature I quested for beauty, but God, God hath sent me to sea for pearls." – Christopher Smart

Maki-e Tahitian Pearls "Painted" with 24K Gold and Abalone Mosaic Tiles

Pure says: WAY Better than Easter Eggs!

Pearls by Eliko Pearl

SALTWATER VS FRESHWATER PEARLS

When it comes to buying fine pearls, there’s one question you must know the answer to first: Do you want to buy saltwater pearls, or Freshwater?

If you don’t know the answer to this question yet, don’t worry! That’s exactly what this post is all about.

“Saltwater pearls” are cultured pearls that are grown/farmed in saltwater pearl oysters all around the world.

Saltwater pearls can be ANY pearl type: Japanese Akoya, Tahitian pearls or White South Sea and Golden South Sea pearls. So just remember that when you tell your jeweler you’d like to purchase saltwater pearls don’t forget to specify what types of pearls you want to buy.

Most often, pearl shoppers are after the classic white Akoya pearl, which is known for being perfectly round, white in color, highly lustrous and beautifully matched.

The Japanese Akoya versus Chinese Freshwater pearl comparison is what we’ll be primarily dealing with, but for completeness’s sake we will also include other pearl types.

“Freshwater pearls” are cultured pearls that are cultivated in mainly freshwater ponds, rivers and lakes throughout China. Freshwater pearls are known for being durable, colorful, off-round in shape and budget friendly.

They are an excellent option for inexpensive pearl jewelry gifts and for artisans looking to add unique pops of color to their jewelry designs without adding too much overhead to their designs.

"TIMELESS CLASSIC"

This beautiful Akoya pearl necklace ranges between 6.0-9.0mm in size and consists of pearls with Very High grade luster and clean surfaces. Our AA+ Quality meets our stringent standards for high quality pearls and are offered at a very affordable price.

All pearls in this necklace are perfectly round in shape, and are strung with silk thread and double-knotted between each pearl. This necklace comes standard with a beautiful 14K Gold clasp, though premium clasps can be selected for an additional cost.

Pure Pearls imports their Akoya pearls from the legendary pearl farms of Japan, grown in the pinctada fucata martensii saltwater pearl oyster. All of our Akoya pearl necklaces are made on site at our Los Angeles, CA workshop. Our extensive experience and careful attention to detail allows us to create truly beautiful Akoya Pearl Necklaces. Also available in AAA Quality and certified Hanadama.