Akoya Pearls

First cultivated at the end of the 19th century, pearls from Akoya oysters (Pinctada Fucata) grow in the waters off the coasts of Japan. Akoya Cultured Pearls captured the attention of the American public in the late 1940s when soldiers returning from the War in the Pacific brought back Akoya strands for their girlfriends and wives.

These lustrous Akoya Pearl strands were once an essential accessory for every well-dressed woman’s outfits. Today, Akoya Pearl necklaces, earrings, rings, and hair accessories are enjoying a remarkable renaissance—in women’s and men’s runway collections—and the designers at Assael are leading the way!