[pearltime]

American Pearl has posted an article on their website about Japanese pearls versus Chinese Akoya pearls.
They do claim all their Akoya pearls are Japanese.

Edit:
copyright content removed - we cannot post it without permission

[jshepherd]

That article and the comparison photo that went with it was the reason I started this thread. Their argument makes absolutely no sense. If it were true, the Japanese would not be buying up all the Chinese production and mixing in with their own.

Mark my words! Even with the Ago Bay disaster this year, with no Japanese harvest to speak of, there will still be plenty of "Japanese" strands available for consumers. Except maybe the current mix of 80% Chinese and 20% Japanese in any given "Japanese" strand will give way to 99+% Chinese and less than 1% Japanese. Still won't stop people from selling them as Japanese pearls!

[purepearls]

Now that it is 2006 and so much has changed in the industry, I do not understand why they do not want to admit that the quality between Japanese and Chinese is the same if you put two AAA strands side by side. I think it's time to let go of old habits and enlighten customers about the truth. The customer will certainly appreciate the up-to-date informaton.

[mikehrz]

Originally Posted by purepearls

I think it's time to let go of old habits and enlighten customers about the truth.

But that's what Pearl-Guide is for

[pearltime]

The article states that the Chinese nucleating process is slightly different from the Japanese. Is it different and how?
Also, the article stated that the Chinese bred their oyster with the Akoya oyster? So what type of oyster was used?

Karen

[jshepherd]

The Japanese had originally used the Pinctada martensii. The Chinese started using the Pinctada chemnitzii and cross bred the two. But since the early nineties the Japanese have also used the chemnitzii martensii cross. The only operation I have heard to use exclusively the chemnitzii in China was the Nan'ao island farm (now defunct). The Chinese and the Japanese now use the same oyster.
As for the nucleation process... where do you suppose the Chinese learned to nucleate? From the Japanese, of course. The same Japanese that started Akoya farms in China to take advantage of lower wages and land prices. The Chinese have since largely taken it back, but to this day nearly all equipment is still Japanese - at least in the larger operations. Many of the factories are still coop factories run by the Japanese, producing Japanese Akoya pearls, even though the pearls are harvested, and for the most part, processed in China.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Karen,

The only difference in nucleation technique has so far been that the Chinese used somewhat larger tissue grafts which means that the pearl sac closed faster and thus the actual cultivation time was longer and the pearl sacs had a slightly higher concentration of cell clusters that secrete supersaturated calcium carbonate solution resulting in marginally greater nacre thickness over the same cultivation period. The continental Asian pinctada scallop/mussel (not oyster) is pinctada cheminitzii which produces the same nacre as the Japanese pinctada (fucata) martensii. Pinctada chemitzii cultured PPBs tend to be lighter and occur in more attractive colors (white, cream, lavender, silver, yellow, and mint green) with less beige and staining. As such, they do not need to be bleached and dyed as much as Japanese pinctada (fucata) martensii cultured PPBs. However, these differences are so minute as to be academic.

Zeide

[jshepherd]

I have really not seen a difference in the size of pallial grafting tissue used. And the sole use of the chemnitzii is quite a few years out of date. We do know that they were cross bred, and we also know that the Japanese are now using the cross breed as well.

The article to which we are referring is an intentional attempt to cloud truth using bits and pieces of information in a fashion that ultimately produces a flawed, deceived point of view to the average consumer.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Jeremy,

You mean the Japanese spin doctors are at it yet again? Aren't they getting tired of it? As I mentioned above, any differences are minute and to the extent that they exist speak in favor of the Chinese. Next thing we hear, the Mouse may be claiming that they supply their entire global dealership network from that museum farm on Mikimoto Island that hasn't actually produced any pearls since the early 1960s.

Zeide

[jshepherd]

Of course! According to the "Japanese Akoya Dealers", the industry they spawned and developed is not equal to their own industry. The view is, use them, abuse the resources, and call the finished product their own.

I, like many Akoya pearl dealers, do not hate the Japanese Akoya industry. On the contrary, I buy a lot of Akoya in Japan, and if it were not for the Japanese industry our Akoya line would end at 7.5mm. What I hate, however, is the deceptive layer of dealers that lie (outright) to the consumer, and overcharge them based on a completely false premise of origin. To me, they are on par with the eBay sellers of Hong Kong.

But, they are failing, and their market share is dropping. Consumers are becoming more and more educated and less apt to fall for such deceitful spins.

Seriously, Akoya dealers! If it is the same pearl, from the same oyster, graded to the same quality, cultured in the same way, how can you honestly claim more value based on the location of the farm. Especially when you cannot, under ANY circumstances, guarantee the origin. ANY dealer that guarantees their pearls are Japanese (only) and charges more for them than market, is doing a disservice to the consumer, and betraying their customers' trust. It is a deceit of omission in the least, and fraud to those who really understand the truth, and know that they are betraying their customers' trust.

[effisk]

My post has been removed from the pearl education forum. I was asking a question on the "Baby South Sea Pearls" topic. I basically questionned the interest (for customers) in growing "Baby South Sea Pearls" when freshwater pearls of the same size and quality were available for a fraction of the price.

[Slraep]

Hi Effisk,

My post has been erased too. You can go into your profile and in the occupation-and-interests section, you can leave any message you want.

Slraep

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi FX,

I noticed. You were not alone. They seem to have deleted all posts by anybody not speaking in their immediate intest. Now all posts are by "pearleducation." I wonder if they would allow a Mikimouse shill. Almost every consumer forum has one. Often it is the very same one.

Zeide

[Jesselai]

Always ,many people think Chinese Akoya pearls's quality lower than Japanese Akoya pearls,but i don't think so.This is a Chinese Akoya photo I take it ,the photo have no any treatment by other tools.

[topearl]

I agree to Jesse Lai's opinion.

Some Japanese dealers often go to trade markets of akoya pearl such as Beihe,Liusha Gang in China to source Chinese akoya pearls, but I'm curious that they alway purchase low and medium grades pearls.

By the way, comparing to last year, the output of akoya pearls decrease. So many processing factories in China are purchasing the akoya pearl oysters with pearls in advance now.

I think the wholesale prices of Chinese akoya pearls will rise a little.