Hi All,

I think there is nothing wrong with buying akoyas as long as the buyers know what they are getting. When we say "pearls", people don't expect a bead inside and are surprised to find out once the akoyas show signs of wear.

Before becoming a gem nut, I myself did not know that south seas have a bead inside! And I live in a country where south seas are cultured! People just don't expect a bead inside.

I've seen a lot of akoyas with nacre chipping off from sellers in my area. These akoyas are never worn, just displayed in glass cases. The akoyas are bought around mid '90s to early '00s (some even do have thick nacre!). I think that the problem with akoya is if it does not get enough moisture, the bead may tend to separate from the nacre, which subjects it to faster deterioration, so the akoya's deterioration process cannot be compared to that of their freshwater counterparts.

Just my 2c. There's a lot to learn simply by looking, and I'm just lucky enough to see a lot of pearls without buying them!