The Japanese have been top of the chain in the production of pearls for the jewellery industry. This is due, in no small part, to the tradition of handing down the secrets of the industry from generation to generation. The Japanese have learned to copy what naturally occurs and have been having extreme success with this for the last 100 years. Most Japanese are cultured pearls. Basically there are two types of pearls, natural pearls and cultured pearls. They both occur in the same way. A pearl is formed when an irritant or parasite finds itself inside the shell of a mollusc or oyster. The shellfish then builds a protective layer of nacre around the intruder. This is a combination of crystalline and organic substances and eventually a pearl is formed. Harvesting natural pearls can be hit and miss and this is why the Japanese
turned to cultured pearl manufacture.

As with every business, there are competitors as the main competitor for the Japanese are the Chinese with their Akoya Pearls. These pearls are made in exactly the same manner as their Japanese counterparts; the only difference is the price! The reason for the price difference can be attributed to higher overheads in Japan. The Japanese still have a stronghold on the market with regard to pearl size and they are still the producers of the larger size pearls.

Pearls with their illustrious beads make stunning jewellery and can last a lifetime. They can also be purchased in a variety of colours and sizes and styles. Pearls have generally been adopted as a symbol of purity and the colours of pearls have sometimes been associated with certain qualities: black or gold with wealth, blue with love, pink with success.