What a privilege this was to be immersed in the culture of Akoya Pearls. From holding the baby spat, to viewing oysters at various stages of growth and nurturing at the farms, to harvesting our own pearl, to the processing and sorting of the pearls, and to the sales of the pearls. What an incredible experience!
Throughout this experience, I was especially moved by the passion of the people. The farms hold the contrast from the tedious hard work of cleaning, grafting, nurturing, and dealing with the environment, to the magical moment of harvesting the pearls in these pristine and stunningly beautiful locations. The farmers embody this passion and are the heart of the Akoya pearl. I was impressed to see a nod to future generations where the children of the farmers, and their generation, are encouraged to share their knowledge and work collaboratively for increased productivity and success.
The people who work at the processing facilities have another level of dedication and skill. Except for sorting by size, sorting can only be done by individuals and it is a time-consuming process where each pearl is sorted multiple times. We were shown a small bag about the size of a palm that represented one day’s work.
And finally to experience the Japan Pearl Fair where all the pearls are on display and ready to be sold to dealers and designers who will bring the pearls to the retail market.
The other passionate group that cannot be overlooked would be the organizations and people dedicated to promoting, marketing and educating consumers globally about Akoya pearls. For as long as Akoya pearls have been cultured, there is still so much to learn and know about the whole process. The average consumer sees the pearl, but too often has little knowledge of the complete story behind the culturing process. I hope to continue spreading the word, and I am so appreciative and grateful to The Japan Pearl Exporters’ Association for providing this incredible opportunity. Arigato gozaimashita.
