Saltwater Cultured Pearls or Akoya pearls as they are also known, are farmed and produced in saltwater oyster beds. Only one pearl is grown per oyster. It need more than two and a half years to get a good harvest, the pearls after this time have matured and will have a thick coating of nacre (the substance deposited by the oyster to give the pearl it’s colour and shine). The natural colours of sea water or Akoya pearls are white, cream, yellow, gold, silver and rose. The most common colour is white – but usually the pearl has a secondary colour or hue – hues can often vary but are typically pink and champagne. Countries known as producers of saltwater pearls are Japan, China, Burma, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines in South East Asia; and Australia and Tahiti in the South Pacific
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