Some of the most popular pearls today are saltwater Akoya pearls. They were pioneered and perfected by Kokichi Mikimoto back in the early 20th century. Akoya pearls are among the most beautiful pearls and create gorgeous, lustrous jewelry. These pearls are usually relatively small in shape, so they are typically almost always perfectly round. They also come in tons of colors like white, ivory, rose and lavender.
There has been a new term coined recently that describes the absolute best Akoya pearls from each harvest. These pearls are known as Hanadama pearls and represent only about 0.1 of each pearl harvest. Any true Hanadama pearl will come with its own certificate of authenticity from Tokyo, Japan. Be wary of any retailer claiming to sell Hanadama pearls and make sure you get your certificate. Since these pearls are so valuable and rare, it can be tempting for dishonest retailers to claim a stock of these beauties.
Hanadama pearls are sometimes referred to as flower pearlsEbecause the literal translation of Hanadama is spherical flowerE These pearls are definitely the best of the best. A typical Akoya pearl will have about 5 off its surface covered with blemishes. Many times, these blemishes arent visible to the untrained eye and are still very high quality. Less than 1 of the Hanadama pearls surface has blemishes. This makes them very shiny, very colorful and very valuable.
The certificate that accompanies Hanadama pearls is issued by the Pearl Science Laboratory of Japan. This certificate must come with any pearls deemed to be Hanadama. If it doesnt come with a certificate, it isnt Hanadama. Also, keep in mind that a Hanadama pearl is the best that you can find anywhere, there is no pearl better. If a dealer tries to tell you they have a strand that is higher quality than a Hanadama, they are wrong. In order to deem a strand of pearls as Hanadama quality, there are many tests performed. The pearls surface is examined under magnification for any inclusions, the quality and depth of the nacre is checked and the luster is graded by a comparison test. If the pearls exceed each of these tests, the pearls can be deemed Hanadama quality.
Since Hanadama pearls have to go through a lot of testing and are very rare, they can be hard to come by. If a store gets Hanadama pearls in stock, they are difficult to keep. If you are interested in finding a strand of Hanadama pearls, your best bet could be to do some searching online. Make sure you go through a trusted and reliable dealer. Do some research on the company before ordering to be sure you are getting the real deal. Some online jewelry dealers can get a strand of custom Hanadama pearls ordered in. They can send an order to the factory in Japan and have the pearls certified then shipped to you directly. If you are willing to shell out a few bucks, you can find exactly what you want and add a priceless piece of jewelry to your collection.
Author Resource:-
Piper Smith is the VP of Marketing for Museum Way Pearls, a leading provider of pearl jewelry such as pearl necklaces, pearl bracelets, pearl earrings, and much more. Museum Way Pearls can be found online at: http://www.museumwaypearls.com .
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