How to choose pearls
Tips for choosing pearls
The most important point is Teri. Next is the roll and color, then the shape and scars.
What are the evaluation criteria for pearls?
There are six evaluation criteria for pearls themselves: size, color, shape, texture, curl, and flaws are taken into consideration to determine the value.
size
Yamashita Pearl Farm produces a wide variety of pearls, from 3 to 4 mm, which are rarely produced in Ehime, to large pearls over 10 mm. The notation is in 0.5mm increments, so if it is written as 7.0mm, it means 7.0 to 7.4mm. Basically, the bigger the price, the more valuable it is.
color
Pearls of various colors are produced through the management of shellfish, the sea, and people. Yamashita Pearl classifies colors into white, pink, gray, yellow, brown, and blue-pink, and recommends blue-pink as the most beautiful color. It is important that multiple colors can be seen in one grain, even if it is not blue-pink.
shape
Broadly divided into round type (perfect circle) and baroque type (distorted). The closer to a perfect circle is more expensive, but a baroque with better curling and a stronger texture is more beautiful and sometimes more expensive than just a round one.
Terri
It represents the strength of the brilliance, and a pearl that shines strongly is said to have good quality. When we recommend pearls, the most important thing to consider is the teri. This is because even if you look at a shining pearl from a distance, you can tell that it is beautiful.
Roll
It is the thickness of the mother-of-pearl layer. Calcium carbonate is secreted within the shellfish's body, and nacre is formed little by little. Pearls with a thick nacre layer are said to have good curling, and a well-curled pearl will have a deeper color, increase in size, and will slow down deterioration over time. Many appraisal agencies have determined that a pearl with a thickness of 0.4 mm or more on one side meets the criteria for being rolled as a flower ball.
scratch
Refers to the protrusions or dimples on the surface of the pearl. Pearls grown inside shellfish have scratches, which are proof that they are genuine pearls and are also a sign of their individuality. Having said that, it would be better if there were no scratches.
About pearl culture
A rounded freshwater mollusk shell called the nucleus is surgically inserted into the ovary of the Akoya mollusk. It's gentle and quick. At the same time as the nucleus, we also put in pieces of cells that make up nacre. At this time, if the egg that is normally in the ovary gets between the nucleus and the cell, it will become a big scratch or stain, and high-quality pearls will not grow.
This means that the egg must be prepared before the nucleus insertion surgery. Methods for this include egg suppression, which takes half a year, and egg removal, which is done in a short period of time. Both are very difficult tasks that require knowing the ocean and observing the behavior of shellfish . After the nucleus insertion surgery, the shellfish will be cured in the calm sea for about a month.
At this stage, the average survival rate is about 70%, and recovered shellfish are placed in coarse mesh nets and moved to off-shore fishing grounds, where they are stimulated and cleaned until they are produced as pearls.
The general answer is that the cultivation period from the time of placing the nucleus is as short as 6 months and as long as 1 and a half years. The season for pearl diving is winter. The reason is that as the water temperature drops, the physiological state of the shellfish also drops, making the pearl's texture stronger.
This is how pearl harvesting happens once a year, which is the most exciting season for us cultivators.
In other words , you can only get results once a year, so even if you work for 30 years, you can only take on 30 challenges . Furthermore, it is very difficult because the natural environment changes every year and the characteristics of shellfish also differ . Therein lies the real thrill and romance of the challenge for fishermen.
Why Yamashita Pearl's pearls are of good quality
Over 50 years since our establishment, we have inherited the aquaculture technology and peer network from our predecessors. By cultivating our pearls in-house, we are able to select only the highest quality pearls from all the pearls.
We will continue to deliver high-quality pearls inheriting the intentions of our founder.
About delivery date
Due to the rarity of blue pink pearls and to maintain quality, we only sell a limited number of them in small quantities every month. Also, due to the characteristics of our products, we have many one-of-a-kind products. If you need an item by a specific date, please place your order early.
If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact us.