Small size of Akoya Pearls in Shortage

[Pearl Dreams]

This afternoon I took my daughter to the local mall. Michaels (jeweler) had 5mm Akoya studs in varying degrees of quality; some were quite nice.

[Valentina]

I am in Australia. I know I could look in jewelry stores here but I would rather look to buy from somebody who actually knows something about the quality they are selling. If my limited questions on quality (thanks to this forum) can't be answered by a sales assistant / website I become suspicious. I will check out all the links referred to.

[Honey_and_Lemon]

Pacific Pearls has a tiny strand in stock, and If you browse yokota pearls japanese website (http://www.yokota-pearl.co.jp) you can see other sub 6mm akoya strands. IMHO pearls for earrings are prone to looking small, so I would think that 6-6.5mm Akoya would still look proportionate. A quick google search reveals that 5mm akoya studs do exist, but not from the traditional online pearl vendors.

http://seagems.myshopify.com/product...baby-graduated

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/yo...3b3a1a5a3.html (3.5 - 4.0 mm strands)

http://www.overstock.com/Jewelry-Wat...2/product.html (5mm Akoya studs, though I have no experience with Overstock's DaVonna pearls)

http://www.zales.com/product/index.j...=3336408&kpc=1 (Blue Lagoon® by Mikimoto 5.0-5.5mm Cultured Akoya Pearl Stud Earrings in 14K Gold)

While $115 might be expensive, I'm sure the quality of the Blue Lagoon by Mikimoto would be good quality and you could check them out at a Zales store.

[denis]

Is this still the case? I am after pearl studs in around 5mm for my tiny-non-existent ear lobes. Any help as to where I could some good quality ones would be much appreciated.

if you have not found any as yet get in touch with www.brokenbaypearls.com.au who grow quality akoyas inaustralia

[Caitlin]

I went to their webpage and they have distributors. You can't buy from them directly, it appears.

Ordinarily we delete first posts with links, but I was so struck by this company, I want to make an exception. They claim they no not bleach or color their pearls and it looks like they are fabulous pearls. So check it out and report back.

I am just not sure you can buy online.....

[lisa c]

I couldn't get anywhere but a white page with the trade name on it with this link.

[Caitlin]

I'm sorry about that, but it still works for me.
Here is a lick to a different page. The page where they say they don't bleach the pearls
http://www.brokenbaypearls.com.au/story.html

[Amanda]

I followed some of their links to retailers, and found this statement too:

"Exclusive to Percy Marks in New South Wales and grown in the pristine Brisbane waters north of Sydney, these magnificent Akoya pearls are the result of 10 years painstaking research and development.

Unlike the pearls of Asia, the Broken Bay pearls are not bleached or artificially coloured. They are naturally highly lustrous and pure. These local pearls meet the highest standard of Akoya pearls produced anywhere in the world. "

I didn't know Australia produced akoyas at all.

http://www.percymarks.com.au/brokenBayPearls.html

[CLICLASP]

We don't buy them often or put them on the site because most people prefer larger pearls, and pearls that small can can cost as much or even more than larger pearls, which can be difficult to understand.

I agree with Jeremy that Price/ size is the main problem, a small but perfect pearl is harder to sell than a baroque but bigger.
Anyway, if the wearer is older and/ or bigger, another way to wear tiny pearls is multistrand. Here is a brilliant demonstration :
http://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/sho...5401#post95401

[lisa c]

Oh Goodie, I got the second page!!! LOL! Thanks, you guys. I don't know why my phone is balking, time to try the web.

[denis]

hi caitlin
hanks for running my first post now i have learnt to work it there should be more.
our pearls are not dyed as you can check with Nerida or Bernadette who were both present At our harvest in 2012. pearls can be bought online at sales@brokenbaypearls.com.au
denisl

[Caitlin]

You may put that under your signature.

[denis]

I'm sorry about that, but it still works for me.
Here is a lick to a different page. The page where they say they don't bleach the pearls
http://www.brokenbaypearls.com.au/story.html

hi again cailan
on my last statement when i said nerida and bernadette were there i meant 2011 not 2012. they can vouch for our pearls that they are not dyed or treated in any way.
regards
denis

[Caitlin]

I read it the first time. I never thought they were. It was obvious to me from the first second I saw them, that you have lovely pearls. Really lovely, and they are much in line with what a lot of people want now.

I just wanted people to see the page where you say that they aren't colored. It is the answer to a concern we had a couple of weeks ago. Now to find out who sells them online?

[Cees]

Was last week here in Bangkok where they processed huge quantities of Akoya pearls for the Japanese market, even saw the drilling of 1.5 mm Akoya pearls. They produced also for the Japanese TV Jewelry channel and tyhe quantities sold through there are very high.
Beautiful 3.5 mm, 3.5.4 mm,etc in different qualities from cheap to expensive. Was really surprised to get such extensive tour and explanation.