Akoya Pearl necklace is best known for its high luster and color brilliance. Akoya Pearls are commonly known as cultured saltwater pearls. Akoya pearls are the classic cultured pearls of Japan. In early nineteenth century, a Japanese man named Kokichi Mikimoto introduced to this world his bead-nucleating technique of culturing pearls in seawater – oyster’s naturally occurring process of forming the pearl with human help thereby stimulating the process by producing the initial irritant or nucleus. Akoya oysters are small mollusks, so the pearls they produce range from sizes 3mm to 9mm. The oyster secretes nacre to cover the bead with layer upon layer of nacre. Thicker the nacre better is the quality. Akoya pearls are produced by Pinctada fucata oyster type.

In recent years China has come up with equally high quality akoya pearls. Every harvesting season, pearl farms growing akoya pearls often find small to medium size pearls of varying quality and it takes lot of efforts to choose the best quality pearls. The pearls are hand sorted, processed, and strung into hanks. Akoya pearl necklace made with quality pearls typically command higher values than freshwater pearl jewelry but comparatively cheaper than Tahitian and south seawater pearls. With the new improved technologies and constant monitoring of pearl growth in pearl oysters, freshwater pearls often come in good quality and are available in wide array of colors and sizes but akoya pearls still typically command higher value. There is great demand for akoya pearls both in U.S and foreign markets. All akoya pearls are cultured pearls.

Higher grades quality akoya pearls that are known for their brilliant luster and nearly perfect round shapes make the perfect akoya pearl necklace. Each pearl is hand knotted and stringed together to make a beautiful akoya pearl necklace. Akoya pearl necklace is the preferred choice for many women and adorned all over the world. Although akoya pearls do come in cream, pink, rose overtones etc, yet white color is the standard classic color when it comes to buying akoya pearl necklace. It is always good to buy akoya pearl necklace with matching akoya pearl earrings and or bracelet. Akoya pearls are indeed very alluring and make excellent luxurious gifts.

With gold and platinum prices at all-time highs, lots of folks are buying sterling silver jewelry instead. Did you know that silver is the whitest metal, even whiter than platinum or rhodium? That’s why a flat, polished silver surface makes a perfect mirror. Only problem is, it tends to tarnish, meaning that the surface silver molecules combine with oxygen, and when they do, they form silver oxide, which is black! Quite a contrast! That’s why, to make a mirror, the silver is covered with glass, or actually the glass is coated with silver: the glass blocks the oxygen and prevents tarnish.

Since you can’t buy glass-coated silver jewelry, you can expect it to tarnish eventually. Some silver jewelry is plated with rhodium to prevent tarnish, so you should NOT polish this type of silver, because it will remove the plating! Though rhodium is a platinum-group metal, it is not quite as white as silver, so there are some advantages to leaving the silver au naturale, and we will talk about that in a minute. By the way, the Viridian Gold Jewelry Store will always tell you if one of our jewelry pieces is rhodium-plated, so that you will know how to care for it. Rhodium plating is also commonly used on white gold jewelry.

Some silver jewelry just doesn’t need regular polishing, because tarnish is kept at bay by skin oils and regular washing. That means that an item worn against the skin, such as a cross on a chain, or a ring, tends to stay relatively tarnish-free. Except when it is exposed to some harsh chemicals which accelerate oxidation. For instance, if you wear a silver neck-cross and go swimming in a chlorinated pool, the cross will quickly turn black! But, swim in a lake or spring-fed pool (like our Barton Springs pool here in Austin!), and nothing happens.

Silver is, as the chemists say, “highly reactive”. Some substances besides oxygen, especially sulfur and chlorine, will combine with the silver to form compounds which are black in color. So, if your water supply is high in sulfur (well water is sometimes this way), or is loaded with chlorine, you will have a problem with silver tarnish. And, some folks’ skin oils contain chemicals which can accelerate tarnishing, because of their particular body chemistry or diet.

What could possibly be good about silver tarnish? Well, the tarnish adds a beautiful aged effect to silver items, because it tends to darken the recesses of the piece where silver polish does not reach. This effect gives a unique dramatic character to silver jewelry that sets it apart from gold and platinum, making it a great choice for both casual and formal wear!