Hanadama 7.0-7.5 Japanese origin?

[GreenBling]

I'm saving up for a Hanadama natural white i tried on a few diff sizes pearls and decided to go with 7.0-7.5. I have read on Pearl Guide that Hanadama less than 7.5 are likely to be Chinese not Japanese as most sellers claim. Anyone who can verify?

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

at one time nearly all pearls 7.5mm or smaller were of Chinese origin, this is exactly the case anymore but certainly its possible for Chinese Akoya pearls to be certified Hanadama.

Hanadama isn't a certification of origin but quality, so it doesn't matter where they were grown as long as they meet the quality guidelines of Hanadama.

 

[GreenBling]

Thanks!

 

[set2374]

I am late to this party. It's not as common to chinese akoyas to reach sizes over 7mm. You may find some here and there, but most chinese production yields less akoyas less than 7mm. In the sub-7mm range, it's possible that there are some chinese pearls used in high quality AAA strands that passed through Japan and ended up on some strands that were submitted to JPSL for certification. I don't believe this is particularly rampant or done with any bad intentions. A coupe of years ago (2008 in particular) productions yields for smaller size akoyas were way down in Japan, but large sizes over 7mm were actually strong. Chinese akoya yields of sub 7mm pearls started to fill in the supply side gaps.

Some may be offended or feel somehow cheated if they discovered their prize Japanese strands of akoyas came from China. There suspicion by some that, because the Chinese akoyas are harvested in warmer waters and the nacre layers build up faster, resulting in nacre layers that are less dense on the Chinese akoyas. Some think that this may cause long term durability issues and also result in less lustre. From an asthetic level and from what I've observed first hand, a AAA quality chinese pearl is probably just as pretty as a AAA japanese pearl and no one can tell them apart. That said, the market values Japanese produced akoya pearls more than chinese. There is a perception (right or wrong) that Japanese akoya pearls are better.

On a related note, I have been hearing some interesting things about Vietnamese akoyas. It sounds like vietnamese pearl farmers are producing some fine akoya pearls with very thick with very thick nacre (depth in excess of 1mm at the radius). I am looking forward to seeing a strand or two in person. I am waiting for the day when people start complaining that their AAA strands are Vietnamese akoyas and not Koshimono.

 

[GreenBling]

Thank you set2374 for sharing your knowledge. The more i research the more i care less about the origin really. A pearl is a pearl, as long as it is pretty and shinny

 

[set2374]

Thank you set2374 for sharing your knowledge. The more i research the more i care less about the origin really. A pearl is a pearl, as long as it is pretty and shinny

Exactly, as long as it's pretty and makes you happy. There are some vendors out there wo will disclose that they are selling Chinese akoya and they discount accordingly. If you are looking for a strand under 7mm, check out American Pearl. They have AAA Chinese strands for half the price of the japanese. Other sites are mixing or are selling Chinese akoyas and not disclosing. The market still cares about origin, so you may as well take advantage and buy the Chinese at a big discount.

 

[pearlexpert]

I just wanted to add to this post. The Japanese have been cultivating and harvesting pearls for over a century. No pearl in the world can compare to the very luster and quality of an authentic top quality Japanese Akoya Cultured Pearl in my experience. They have a special quality to them that is the reason why they earned their well deserved fame over the years. Not because they are from Japan. Its because of their qualities. Top quality Japanese Akoya saltwater pearls have a mirror-like luster rarely found in the Chinese Akoya. There are some nice Chinese Akoya Pearls but nothing compares. Just go to any Mikimoto company store or Tiffany & Co. store to see for yourself and ask the salesperson selling these fine pearls if one can obtain such a quality from China. Sure, someone may post a picture once in a while of what they claim is Chinese Akoya that is top luster with a mirror like quality (but who really knows what it is). However, Mikimoto and Tiffany sell excellent quality and they should be used as a benchmark for comparison.

Otherwise, if you have pearls from China that are Akoya, I suggest you take them to the GIA and get a Cultured Pearl Classification Report to see what they really are as the GIA is the most reputable lab in the world who invented the nomenclature for grading pearls whereas the other labs such as The Pearl Science Lab that prints the Appraisals that are marked with the term Hanadama are a private company.

 

[pearlexpert]

I also would like to say with all respect that I believe this statement to not be true "at one time nearly all pearls 7.5mm or smaller were of Chinese origin".

 

[pearlexpert]

Having done some more research, I think it is noteworthy to read the information at this link published by the Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) that says:

"China has been successful in producing Akoya pearls within their own waters. However, at this time they are unable to produce as brilliant a luster as high quality Japanese Akoya cultured pearls."

http://www.cpaa.org/pearls_types.asp

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

Eddie,

You of all people should know that the Chinese akoya industry all but disintegrated three years ago. So why keep harping on the same subject, except to sow doubt about other vendor's pearls? You also know that the information on the CPAA site is very much outdated and wrong. You left out the first part of the sentence above, didn't you? It started with "In recent years, China has been successful ... " Really? In recent years? It makes you wonder who the original author of that article was, doesn't it.

We both know that the Chinese started producing akoya pearls in 1958 under professor Xiong Daren, and these pearls had an average nacre thickness of more than 2 mm - in other words, they were among the finest in the world. Under the Japanese Export Aquatic Marine Products Act of 1953 (The Diamond Policy), these pearls were sold via Japan as Japanese pearls. The same thing was rampant with more recent Chinese production up until just a few years ago - reported in JCK, Modern Jewelry, JNA, and nearly every other trade magazine and several books on pearls, which you solely dispute.

The Diamond Policy

Principle #1:
Japan alone will market all cultured pearls, regardless of the country in which they were produced

Principle #2:
Only Japanese citizens are allowed to possess the necessary technical knowledge for pearl culture and Japan must control all enterprises.

Principle #3:
All technology, and especially technology regarding nucleus implantation, must only be made known to Japanese citizens.

In other words, in the opinion of the Japanese at the time (and still many today), all cultured pearls, no matter where they were grown, are Japanese pearls.

 

[NacreLover]

Thank you for the information Pearls of Joy. I learn so much on these forums. NL

 

[pearlexpert]

When you said:

"at one time nearly all pearls 7.5mm or smaller were of Chinese origin, this is exactly the case anymore but certainly its possible for Chinese Akoya pearls to be certified Hanadama. "

Did you mean "isn't exactly?"

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

When you said:

"at one time nearly all pearls 7.5mm or smaller were of Chinese origin, this is exactly the case anymore but certainly its possible for Chinese Akoya pearls to be certified Hanadama. "

Did you mean "isn't exactly?"

Clearly that was a typo, otherwise the sentence would not make sense.