Akoya pearls are the most popular type produced by Japan's Akoya oysters.
Depending on the size of the mother oyster, they grow from 3-10mm, with colours ranging from white, cream and pink to light green, blue and silver.
Each pearl harvested is as individual as a fingerprint, making it essential to establish quality grading standards. The five factors to assess quality when buying pearls are lustre (the amount of light a pearl reflects); surface perfection (subtle blemishes and tiny marks are proof of its genuine origin); shape (perfectly round pearls are the rarest and most valuable); colour (the rarer the shade, the more valuable the pearl); and size (high value for large pearls).