7 x 7.5mm Collection Quality Japanese Akoya Culutred Pearl Necklace

ABOUT THIS NECKLACE - COLLECTION QUALITY

This 7 x 7.5mm Japanese Akoya cultured pearl 16 Inch necklace known as COLLECTION QUALITY is one of American Pearl's most popular sizes. If you were in a finer jewelry store in AMERICA and mentioned AMERICAN PEARL, the salesperson would explain to you that AMERICAN PEARL is the supplier of the finest quality Japanese Akoya cultured pearls harvested each year from Japan and noted for their superior luster and rose hues. Each year, American Pearl procures these finer quality pearls and offers them to our customers.

This 7 x 7.5mm Japanese Akoya cultured pearl necklace is American Pearl's best size for a starter necklace for a younger woman. It's the necklace she wears for her first day of work as a career woman. It's very popular as a college graduation gift and a wedding-day gift from the groom, and is also great for new mothers and just about any worthy occasion in a young woman's life: Valentine's Day, Secretary's Day, Mother's Day, a baby shower, or a "just to say I love you" present.

ABOUT THE QUALITY

American Pearl's absolute finest quality cultured pearl strand. Collection quality pearls are the rarest cultured pearls available in the world—representing the finest pearls from Japan's pearl harvest. Simply regal -- and extremely rare. For a refined, discriminating woman who is serious about her pearls and won't settle for anything but the best. Collection quality pearls will hold their value and appreciate in time. The pearls on this necklace are evenly graduated from 7 x 7.5mm and are affixed with American Pearl's signature 18K yellow gold clasp. These are the finest quality pearls that are available. It is the maximum luster that the oyster can produce. Although AAA quality exhibit VERY HIGH LUSTER, Collection quality pearls have Extremely High Luster.

When American Pearl purchases pearls in volume, we buy by the weight. So the weight of the Collection quality pearls is reflected within the price. Collection quality is for someone who is looking for the absolute best quality available. This means that the pearls, if properly cared for, will truly hold their value and appreciate over time. If one were to shop all the jewelry stores of the world, matching this quality would be extremely difficult. Were you to find it, it would be extremely pricey.


PURCHASE THE FINEST QUALITY PEARLS IN YOUR PRICE RANGE

American Pearl always advises you to purchase the finest quality pearls in your price range; even if this means stepping down to a smaller size more brilliant pearl. There are numerous reasons why this holds true. Finer quality pearls have more of the qualities for which people are enamored with pearls in the first place. That is, they are more beautiful as they exhibit higher luster. Beauty is the paramount quality of any jewelry or gem that secures its value. The more beautiful a gem has the more valuable it is. Finer quality pearls therefore have the best chance in holding their value and appreciating in value over time. In addition to beauty and value, finer quality pearls are more durable. Lastly, because finer quality pearls are indeed more beautiful, they will be enjoyed more. Hence, this is why purchasing the finest quality pearls in your price range is always the wisest choice.

ABOUT SURFACE QUALITY

At American Pearl, we want you to know that whatever pearl strand you choose, you can be sure that the pearls on your necklace will be superior. Because the pearls we purchase from our farmers consistently and continuously for the last 50 years are the top of the harvest, you can be sure that the pearls offered to you from American Pearl are indeed the finest and cleanest available. As America's leading pearl company, it has become the mantra of our founder, Charlie Bakhash, to offer our customers the cleanest finest quality pearls in the world—A reputation we have earned through the cleanliness of our pearls.

Yet, why are we so insistent in boasting about our pearls' superior quality? Time and time again, consumers unknowingly purchase pearls they think are fine quality, yet overlook the most critical factor: the pearl's surface. Purchasing a strand of pearls that is blemished is like buying a stock without knowing its price. Or consider purchasing a piece of real estate without knowing its location. The analogy is the same for pearls, except this time, it is cleanliness of the pearl's surface that is the key factor in determining its value. A wise consumer will insist that the pearls on their necklace are round, cleaner and matched for bodycolor and luster. The composition of a beautiful strand of pearls is an art that we have perfected for over 50 years of pearl trading.

WHITE BODYCOLOR PEARLS ARE WORTH MORE

In addition to selling you cleaner pearls, American Pearl is renowned for selling you the whitest bodycolor pearls with your choice of a silver or rose overtone. American Pearl does not sell you yellow creamy pearls. White Bodycolor pearls (with your choice of silver or rose overtones) are the most valuable bodycolor pearls in the marketplace compared to their light cream counterparts. Many consumers unknowingly purchase a strand with a slightly light cream or yellowish bodycolor to the pearl which are worth considerably less. In fact, according to the the Gemological Institute of America, pearls with a light cream bodycolor are worth less than pearls with a white bodycolor. So examine the pearls you are considering very carefully. Are they creamy? Yellowish? Or are they white? Be especially doubtful of pearls that claim to be "bright white" or other made up names that are not part of the official nomenclature used by the Gemological Institute of America as shown by the chart below:



EXAMINING PEARLS UNDER CONTROLLED LIGHTING

When examining a strand of pearls, it is advised that you do so under a controlled setting for grading pearls. The Gemological Institute of America, through their coursework and literature, recommends that you always examine your pearls under a fluorescent light against an either white or grey background. A glass surface is the least effective area on which to examine pearls as the bodycolor of the pearls in question is difficult to detect. In fact, when the owner's of American Pearl sell their pearl's to Tiffany & Co., it is our experience that they always use a fluorescent lamp for grading. This setting creates a neutral environment where the nuances in bodycolor—from white to light cream—can be identified. Because a pearl's surface is so reflective, one must consider very carefully the light source used to examine and grade pearls.

THE PEARL MIRAGE

One should be particularly skeptical of an incandescent light source used for the grading of pearls. Incandescent light, by its very nature, shows a fuller distribution of color from the color spectrum. When used in the grading of pearls, one may be associating attributes to the reflective qualities of the pearl's surface that are in actuality originating from the light source. This PEARL MIRAGE does not take place under fluorescent lights.

The most valuable lesson to be learned here is that upon the examination of pearls, make sure you are grading the pearls, not the light source. The quality and awe of a fine quality pearl seen under a fluorescent lamp will be obvious. Because pearls have hundreds of concentric layers of skin (what we call nacre) that are translucent, reflecting light as well as allowing light to pass through each layer, a "play-of-light" is achieved on the surface of a pearl which gives PEARLS the very qualities for which people have marveled in awe over them.

It is for this reason that pearls with bodycolors of white are featured at American Pearl, Tiffany & Co. and Mikimoto. They are the most valuable in the world.

NECKLACE LENGTH AND GRADUATION

This necklace comes standard length at 16 inches long which includes the clasp. If you are looking for a longer strand, please click the pop-up menu located below near the order button to choose any length up to 51 inches.

All the pearls begin at 7 millimeters on either end of the necklace and slowly graduate to 7.5mm millimeters in the necklace's center. These pearls were farmed in the saltwater oceans off the shores of Japan. This is where the inventor of the cultured pearl made his first round cultured pearl that changed the world.