City Glow Akoya Saltwater Natural Pearls 18K Gold Diamond 18K Gold Pearl Earrings

[As our factory produces pearls and crafts jewelry in-house, all pearl sizes are limited in quantity. Because pearls require time to harvest, and their yield can be affected by sales or environmental conditions, certain sizes may become temporarily unavailable. Consequently, some styles may experience temporary stock shortages. Please inquire about availability before placing an order.] Inspired by the interplay of light and shadow in a city at night, these earrings feature a polished metal bar as the main element, from which natural Akoya pearls and subtle diamond accents are suspended. They exude a minimalist, sophisticated, and fluid modern style, perfect for daily office wear, evening gatherings, or urban ensembles, effortlessly showcasing a refined radiance. Our pearls, depending on the variety, are sourced from two major production regions: Japan and China. All are expertly crafted in our professional jewelry workshops in China, ensuring consistent quality, exquisite artistry, and the perfect presentation of the pearls' natural luster and charm. 🔹 Japanese Origin | Akoya Saltwater Pearls, True Tahitian Pearls (真多麻) Akoya pearls are the most iconic type of saltwater pearl, known as "Agoya" in Chinese. They are primarily cultivated in regions of Japan such as Mie, Kumamoto, and Ehime, with the Seto Inland Sea coast being particularly renowned. Akoya pearls are produced by the **Pinctada fucata** oyster. Due to the small size of the oyster, each shell can only yield one pearl, and it requires approximately 3 years of meticulous cultivation. This results in a relatively scarce output, with quality and price reflecting their rarity. Akoya pearls are nucleated, possessing exceptional roundness and a cool, brilliant luster, earning them the nickname "little light bulbs" in the pearl world and making them highly favored in fine jewelry. Their surfaces often exhibit a natural "orange peel" texture. Opting for a specially selected grade (accompanied by a Japanese certificate) ensures near-flawless surfaces and even more luminous shine. Their colors range from cherry blossom pink, snow white, and rosy white to cool blue-green, iridescent gold, and queenly hues. Additionally, the rare "True Tahitian" (真多麻) color, an Akoya variant with a natural pinkish-purple iridescence, is highly sought after by collectors. 🔹 Chinese Origin | Freshwater Cultured Pearls China is the world's largest producer of freshwater pearls, with production concentrated in Zhejiang, Hunan, Jiangsu, and Anhui. Freshwater pearls are primarily cultivated from large bivalves like the triangle shell mussel, where a single mussel can yield dozens of pearls simultaneously, resulting in a much higher output than saltwater pearls. In the past decade, with significant advancements in cultivation techniques and grading standards, high-quality freshwater pearls now rival Akoya pearls in roundness, nacre compactness, and luster. Although primarily beadless cultured, top-grade freshwater pearls can achieve near-perfect roundness, a warm and translucent luster, and strong surface orient, all at a more accessible price point. They are an excellent value choice for everyday wear and designer jewelry. Regardless of whether you choose Akoya saltwater pearls or Chinese freshwater pearls, all items are meticulously crafted in our Chinese processing workshops. This ensures that every piece, from raw material to artisanal detail, meets jewelry-grade standards, adding elegant sophistication to your daily life. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54586131810_8f2fee49cc_b.jpg (In the Pearl Grading Guide: the circled sections can serve as reference standards for the pearls in our store) https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54586035868_cf01f90df0_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54585793436_ddd2e63e51_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54585797431_701d282b24_b.jpg 💡 **Care and Maintenance Recommendations** ・Avoid contact with perfumes, alcohol, and acidic or alkaline substances. ・Gently wipe with a dry cloth after each wear to maintain pearl cleanliness. ・Store separately to prevent scratches from contact with metal jewelry. 📦 **Process Description:** After placing an order, we will submit it to our overseas manufacturer. Production will commence, and the item will be shipped to Taiwan. As the factory is located overseas, production and logistics typically take around 7 days. 💖 **Follow us for the latest gemstone jewelry information** 📌 **New Arrivals on Pinkoi Store** 💌 **For specific colors or types of gemstones, feel free to message us for custom orders.** Unsure whether to choose freshwater or Akoya pearls? We've compiled a comparison across seven key aspects to help you select the most suitable pearls: **I. Origin and Cultivation** Akoya pearls are saltwater cultured, primarily from Japan and southern China. Freshwater pearls mainly originate from lakes in China's Yangtze River basin. Akoya pearls require 3–5 years of cultivation, with one pearl per oyster. Freshwater pearls can grow multiple pearls simultaneously, with a shorter cycle. **II. Shape and Size** Akoya pearls are highly round with standard shapes, commonly found in sizes of 5–8mm. Freshwater pearls are more varied; nucleated types (like Edison pearls) can reach over 12mm. **III. Color** Akoya pearls are predominantly white with pinkish overtones. Freshwater pearls offer a richer spectrum, including pink, purple, and white natural colors. **IV. Luster** Akoya pearls boast a sharp, intense luster, hailed as "little light bulbs." Freshwater pearls exhibit a softer, diffused luster with a delicate silky sheen. **V. Surface Imperfections** Akoya pearls are generally more refined, while freshwater pearls may show natural growth lines. However, higher grades of freshwater pearls are also very clean. **VI. Nacre Thickness and Durability** Freshwater pearls, being beadless or having thick nacre, offer excellent durability. Akoya pearls, with their thinner nacre, require protection from heavy pressure and abrasion. **VII. Occasion Suitability** Akoya pearls are noble and elegant, suitable for formal banquets. Freshwater pearls are versatile and adaptable, ideal for daily wear and office attire. Unsure whether to choose freshwater or Akoya pearls? Here's a detailed comparison: **I. Origin & Cultivation (Origin & Cultivation)** **Akoya Pearls** Akoya pearls are saltwater cultured pearls, mainly from Japan, but also cultivated in Vietnam and China. The Akoya pearl's mother oyster is the Pinctada fucata, which requires a marine environment with high salinity and complex currents. Typically, one mother oyster yields only one pearl. Akoya cultivation cycles are relatively long, around 3-5 years. Akoya's annual output is lower, accounting for about 10% of global pearl production (total saltwater pearls). Akoya was the world's first commercially produced saltwater cultured pearl, beginning in the early 1900s. Saltwater cultured pearls (including Akoya) are usually nucleated, with a spherical bead core inserted into the mother oyster. **Freshwater Pearls** Freshwater pearls are cultured in freshwater environments like lakes and rivers, primarily in the lakes and rivers of China's Yangtze River basin, such as Zhejiang, Hunan, and Jiangsu. The main mother oyster for freshwater pearls is the triangle shell mussel, grown in stable, controllable water quality. One mussel can yield 10-40 or 30-50 pearls. Most freshwater pearls form naturally within the mussel without a bead nucleus (primarily beadless cultivation), leading to less regular shapes. Freshwater pearl cultivation cycles are relatively short, about 1-3 years. Freshwater pearls account for the vast majority of global pearl production, around 95%. Nucleated freshwater cultured pearls are also known as "Edison" pearls. Natural pearls and beadless cultured pearls are almost entirely composed of nacre. **II. Appearance - Shape & Size (Appearance - Shape & Size)** **Shape (Shape):** Due to the insertion of a spherical bead nucleus during cultivation and a relatively thin nacre layer that helps maintain roundness, Akoya pearls typically achieve very round shapes with a high roundness rate. Over 90% of high-quality Akoya pearls are nearly perfectly round. The roundness of Akoya pearls consumers encounter is usually good. Freshwater cultured pearls (mainly beadless) are naturally formed without a bead nucleus, making their shapes more prone to being oval or irregular. Over 80% of freshwater pearls on the market are oval, flattened oval, or baroque shapes, with a lower proportion of perfectly round ones. Due to beadless cultivation, perfectly round freshwater pearls are extremely rare; near-round is the highest roundness grade. Nucleated freshwater cultured pearls (Edison pearls) are similar in size to saltwater pearls but have lower roundness. **Size (Size):** Akoya pearls are smaller, with pearls typically ranging from 6-9mm. Commercial production is often in the 6-8mm or 5-8mm range. 8mm is considered a good size, with the largest Akoya pearls reaching 10-11mm. The larger the size of an Akoya pearl, the more precious it is. Even a difference of 1mm, such as between 7-8mm and 8-9mm Akoya pearls, can result in a significant price difference. The diameter range of freshwater cultured pearls is typically 5-12mm. Nucleated freshwater pearls (Edison pearls) can reach sizes of 12-20mm. South Sea pearls are usually found in the 10-16mm range, with those exceeding 16mm being relatively rare and precious. **III. Appearance - Color (Appearance - Color)** The body color of Akoya pearls is mainly white. Common overtones include pink, light greenish-blue, and light greenish-yellow, with pink being the most popular. Akoya pearls also come in blue tones (like True Tahitian) and yellow tones (like Aurora Queen, Aurora Gold). Saltwater pearls (including Akoya) do not have purple. Pearl colors originate from minerals or natural pigments secreted by the mother oyster. The colors of freshwater cultured pearls are mainly white, pink, and light purple. Purple is a unique color for freshwater pearls, derived from carotenoids in the triangle shell mussel. Nucleated freshwater cultured pearls (Edison pearls) can exhibit deep purple and bronze colors. Freshwater pearls do not come in pure black or deep gold. Some colors may have undergone bleaching or dyeing. **IV. Appearance - Luster (Appearance - Luster)** Pearl luster is a crucial factor in determining quality, even considered its soul. Luster is related to the thickness and quality of the nacre. The stronger the luster, the more precious and expensive the pearl. Luster is the most important value factor for pearls. Akoya pearls are known for their very high and beautiful luster, often called "little light bulbs of the world." Their luster is strong, capable of sharp reflections and clear imaging. In top-quality comparisons, Akoya's mirror-like luster can surpass that of South Sea pearls. High-quality specimens can reflect a human face. Freshwater cultured pearls have a relatively softer luster, primarily diffuse reflection, with a gentle, silky sheen. Some high-quality freshwater pearls can achieve good luster, reaching 70%-80% of saltwater pearls. Some top-grade freshwater pearls can achieve "very strong luster." The luster of freshwater pearls is shallower, with weaker refractive effects. GUILD classifies pearl luster into four grades: Very good, Good, Fair, and Poor. **V. Appearance - Surface Quality (Appearance - Surface Quality)** Naturally produced pearls usually have minor imperfections on their surface. The fewer imperfections a pearl has, the better its quality. Absolutely flawless pearls are extremely rare and expensive. Akoya pearls have higher surface smoothness, with imperfections mostly being small pinpricks. Freshwater pearls may show growth lines like spiral patterns or indentations on their surface. Surface quality is divided into four grades: Very good (near flawless), Good (minor flaws), Fair (moderate flaws), and Poor (many flaws). The degree of imperfection is one factor in judging pearl quality. **VI. Physical Characteristics - Nacre Thickness & Durability (Physical Characteristics - Nacre Thickness & Durability)** Nacre thickness is an important factor in judging the quality of nucleated cultured pearls. Nacre thickness affects the pearl's beauty and durability. If the nacre is too thin, it can affect luster, and repeated friction may cause it to lose its luster or even develop "peeling." Akoya pearls have relatively thin nacre compared to other types of saltwater cultured pearls. It typically ranges from 0.15 mm to 0.55 mm. 0.5 mm is considered thick nacre for Akoya. According to GUILD standards, Akoya with nacre thickness greater than 0.4 mm is of better quality. Akoya is most sensitive to nacre thickness. The thinner nacre of Akoya helps in achieving its round shape. Freshwater cultured pearls (mainly beadless) typically have nacre thickness from 0.3 to 0.8 mm. The internal structure of beadless freshwater pearls is almost entirely composed of nacre. Prolonged wear of freshwater pearls may cause them to gradually lose luster due to friction, resulting in a relatively shorter lifespan. Nucleated freshwater cultured pearls (Edison) have thicker nacre, ranging from 0.8-3mm. Overall, saltwater pearls have thicker nacre and a longer lifespan. Saltwater pearls (like South Sea pearls, Tahitian pearls) typically have nacre ranging from 0.8-3mm. South Sea pearls can have nacre up to 2mm, which is 60 to 100 times that of Akoya. **VII. Daily Wear & Suitability (Daily Wear & Suitability)** Due to their high luster and roundness, as well as their classic white hues, Akoya pearls are a very popular choice for daily wear. They are suitable for versatile necklace designs, exuding elegance, luxury, and classic temperament. They are also appropriate for formal occasions, weddings, and business gifts. Freshwater cultured pearls, due to their affordable price (thanks to China's high production volume and cultivation methods) and diverse colors (especially baroque shapes), are a popular choice for daily commutes and casual wear. High-quality freshwater pearls (with very strong luster, near-round shape, and minimal flaws) are visually indistinguishable from saltwater pearls to the naked eye and offer excellent value, making them ideal for everyday wear. They are suitable for students, young professionals, or baroque pearl enthusiasts. If you have a limited budget and primarily wear pearls daily, high-quality freshwater pearls are an excellent option. From a purely functional perspective, there is very little difference in the wearing experience between high-quality freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls.