A Practical Guide to Blue-Gray Akoya Pearls!

A Practical Guide to Blue-Gray Akoya Pearls!

Akoya pearls often have a strong and varied luster, earning them the nickname “little light bulbs” in the pearl world 💡. Akoya pearls come in a wide range of colors: white, pink, silver-blue and gold with pink and silver-blue being common overtones.

Here’s a detailed guide on silver-blue Akoya pearls, which I hope will be helpful to you.

The Japan Pearl Science Laboratory offers three types of certificates for silver blue Akoya pearls, making it one of the most categorized saltwater pearls:

  • Madama
  • Blue Rose
  • "FA" certificate

Should the Color Adjustments of Silver Blue Akoya Pearls Be Disclosed to Consumers?

My view: Consumers have the right to know, so it should be disclosed!

Many people familiar with Akoya pearls know that they often undergo color adjustments, which are widely accepted in the jewelry industry. According to statistics, natural silver-blue accounts for less than 15% of the total production, white around 80%, and other colors (like golden champagne) about 5%. Natural Silver-Blue is a special color in Akoya pearls, which is rare and has always held a stable price.

 

Briefly, there are two main unnatural ways silver-blue color is achieved: irradiation and dyeing.

  • Irradiation: Pearls are exposed to gamma rays, which darkens the nucleus, causing the pearl to gradually turn silver from the inside out.
  • Dyeing: This involves applying color to the pearl’s surface using a coloring agent, commonly seen in dyed freshwater pearls posing as seawater pearls (so be cautious with dyed freshwater pearls passed off as seawater pearls!).

Irradiation is currently an accepted treatment method. Studies indicate that the color stability of irradiated silver Akoya pearls is reliable, with no residual radioactivity. However we do not recommend irradiation pearl especially if freshwater pearls are irradiated to sell as saltwater Akoya silver which is deceiving.

Below are examples of irradiated pearl, the core are irradiated and turn evenly grey

Irradiated pearl has unnatural metallic color

Hope our article helps you to know more about Silver Blue Akoya.


 

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