Akoyas are often bleached -

[Indylady]

So what color are they to start with? Are they simply creamier/less uniform?

Can blue akoyas be bleached white? Thanks in advance for the help!

Also - if anyone knows a source for pastel Vietnamese akoyas, please let me know!

 

[marymm]

Have you checked out Cee's pearls? He has white, cream, gold, blue ... http://www.amsterdampearls.com/akoyapearls.html

 

[Pearlescence]

Until a few years ago nearly all akoyas were bleached, then pinked. That was just what happened. At the Hong Kong show one or two wholesalers might have a couple of hanks of untreated pearls tucked away, but they were viewed as a mistake. (I already loved the blues,btw and would buy. They were soooooooo cheap back then! And so much more blue as well)
Then freshwater pearls started to not be dyed like sheets,( deep colours) and everyone was clamoring for natural colours. It didn't take long for Akoya sellers to twig and within a year they all had natural colours and what you now have to be wary of is colour which is too good to be true. Usually strong blues and golds are dyed.
Here's a photo I took of part of a day's harvest on a vietnam akoya pearl farm