PearlsAmerica.com – Freshwater or Akoya

[Admin]

Someone sent PG a message today and asked me about an eBay seller called pearls_america. This eBay seller also has a Web site called pearlsamerica.com.
The eBay seller claims to only sell akoya pearls. He also claims that akoya pearls can be cultured in freshwater.(I’m not kidding).

Here is an example of the seller’s pearls.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=380106490425&Category= 164333

So, what do you think?

[jshepherd]

Funny! Freshwater, freshwater, freshwater! It looks like another Chinese FW seller passing their pearls off as akoya, but with the name "america" in their title to make it appear to be more legit.

This is funny:

Akoya Pearls are Saltwater Pearls from Akoya, Japan, or grown and sold for purchase in Japan and elsewhere. They grow for 3-7 years inside oysters living in sea water. Fresh water Akoyas are not the same.

3-7 years?! Wow! Even Mikimoto could not do that! Fresh water akoya are not the same

Q:
Can Akoya Pearls be grown in freshwater?
A:
While not known in Japan, they are grown in China with great success. However, freshwater Akoyas are not nearly as round as seawater pearls. Thus, seawater pearls are the preferred pearl.

Not known in Japan?! Or not known in the world?!

[Ashley]

LOL- I don't even know where to start!! Maybe there's like a mis-translation problem... I see that alot with the Chinese vendors that don't have the proper programs on their sites

[laurenb]

Wow, bizarre. And that photo on the upper right hand side of the display area is hilariously blown out.

[knotty panda]

[FONT=Calibri]He also claims that akoya pearls can be cultured in freshwater.(I’m not kidding).[/FONT

You mean it's impossible? Shoot! Ok guys, everyone out of the pool! Apparently we can't do this!

[barbie biggs]

Gee, I'm glad everybody covered most of the things you could accurately say about these pearls (I wouldn't want to be critical) because I was thinking they were really inexpensively priced for 8-9mm akoya.

[Ashley]

Wait, wait! I've got it: TRANSGRAFTS!!!

He must be referring to the legendary, the extremely rare and experimental breakthrough technology only known to a select few mad bio-geneticists hiding out in temperature controlled caves in Siberia- the ones that are stationed by the Travelling Lakes... It all makes sense now. Yes, yes, precious.... wait. Sorry I think I got carried away

Are you sure that vendor isn't the infamous ZE?? Have you checked for trolls?

[pearlescence]

nah..they're white not red

[jshepherd]

Just the lop noors were red. I think the transgrafts were white!

[Ashley]

Somebody get Slaerp in on this one- I think this thread needs to get hijacked by some good ole' fashioned ZE Bashin'!

... Hey that rhymed! :P

[Caitlin]

These guys seem to be selling freshwaters passing as akoyas. If they didn't know that from their seller, they've been dished blarney, if they did know they are dishing blarney. In any case, I hope they get reported.

[gravityalwayswins]

It looks to me like they are also strung with clamshells instead of finishing wire then knotted back through. Nothing wrong with clamshells, but I wouldn't expect them on super-duper Akoya strands. :-)

[pearlguy]

I am writing to this thread since I am the seller in question. First, I am not “another Chinese FW seller” trying to “[pass] off [my] pearls. I am U.S, through and through and don’t even have Asian blood in me. I do travel extensively and have made many connections in the gem and jewelry world as I go about my business. That is how I got started. I am trying to operate a bona fide business here but apparently was mislead by my Asian supplier (I’ll spare you the details). The trouble is that he was supplying me with very good quality pearls, albeit mostly freshwater, as I now understand it.

I appreciate the creative writing and all when commenting on my listings. I did find conflicting information on Akoyas and freshwaters in a number of online articles and discussions, though.

The bottom line is that I appreciate Pearl Professor’s kind advice on my listings. While the pearls I offer undoubtedly are high quality pearls, I unfortunately have some freshwater pearls here. However, many of my customers who have had their pearls assessed still found they got very good deals and were extremely satisfied with their purchases. I guess that only those who expected to get a $10-20,000 necklace for $200 were the disappointed ones. My purpose, though, was never to deceive anyone and I never claimed these were $10-20,000 necklaces. I assure you, I am not one of “these guys”.

I have found that my pearls are much better quality than those sold by many major U.S. retailers and large big box retail discounters, yet they are charging from five to eight times and more that which I am charging. Some store-based jewelers charge even higher. My purpose simply was to build a quality pearl dealership that offered higher quality pearls at affordable prices. There is a lot of junk sold in the pearl market online, and I do not intend, nor did I ever intend, to be a part of that.

[GemGeek]

There is a lot of junk sold in the pearl market online, and I do not intend, nor did I ever intend, to be a part of that.

Good for you! Knowledge is power.

[Raisondetre]

Some suggestions for your website and ebay listing. Skip the flash. Also, more pictures, less words. If I have to scroll down right to the end to look at the pictures, I usually don't bother. You can have a separate FAQ page on ebay rather than put all the educational information there. The pictures do need some work - do you use a professional photographer? You need closeup macro shots. Alot of the detail on your pearls is lost. All I can see are rough shapes and not enough detail about the surface. Hope this helps.