Akoya pearls are treasured for their perfect shape and reflective shine. They are considered to be the classic pearl used for necklaces and other pearl jewelry. Akoya pearls come from a small oyster known as the Pinctada fucata, or akoya. The saltwater Pinctada fucata oyster lives along the coasts of Japan and China. A bead is surgically implanted into the gonad of the oyster along with a small piece of mantle tissue. The oyster coats the bead with layer upon layer of beautiful nacre. These relatively small pearls range from 2 to 10 mm. Larger ones are really rare.
