According to the Reuters article June 8, 2009 the entire cultured Akoya pearl industry established in 1890’s in Japan may come to an almost complete collapse. 

Japan began the world’s first pearl culture using the Akoya oyster to produce pearls commercially.  Prior to this the only available pearls were natural pearls found by divers at random.  The Akoya oysters are grown in saltwater beds in the bay located in the small town of Wagu, Japan and produce a very fine round pearl. 

The Akoya pearl production has dropped 60% in the past twenty five years due to the huge out put of pearls from China.  China produces a less quality pearl from a freshwater mussel which can yield up to forty pearls per year as compared to the Akoya mussel yielding two to three pearls per year.

Chinese freshwater pearls are available in large quantities at a cheaper price because they are produced at a much lower cost than Akoya pearls from Japan. 

Many people do not know the difference between fine saltwater Akoya pearls and the less quality pearls produced from China which can cause confusion when purchasing pearls.

“The production of a very fine high quality Akoya pearl is very limited, it is less than one percent of all the pearls cultured per year.”  states Yoshimasa Chata, President of Ohata Pearl Industry.

Janet Deleuse

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The Black Opeal from Australia is one of the rarest of Opals.  The body color of the gem is usually blue-grey or black, with a contrast of spectral colors.  Black Opal is unique to only a few mines in the world, for example the area known as Wallangulla, or "Lightening Ridge", in New South Wales.

Unlike many gem minerals, opal does not have a crystalline structure.  It is formed by small spherical particles of silica gel, chemically combined with 6-10% water.  It is found as veins in rocks or as  "grape shape" masses in cavities of rocks. Opal has a hardness of 5.5 to 6.5 Moh's scale, placing it in the softer range of gemstones.

This exquisite 18k yellow gold ring designed by Jeff Deleuse, highlights an oval Black Opal weighing 2.09ct. mined in Australia at Lightning Ridge.  A dark blue base with vivid flashes of yellow-green-orange and purple fill out the entire gem.  The wave motif gold ring shank contains .47ct. of ideal cut round diamonds of high clarity and color, that surround the opal in a semi-bezel style mounting.  Retail price $6,500.

Jeff Deleuse

Deleuse Jewelers

1771 Tiburon blvd., Tiburon, CA 94930

415-435-2484

deleuse@deleusejewelers.com