Pearl Colors

Different pearl types come in different colors.

Akoya pearls are usually white, cream, rose, gold and blue gray. White usually has cream or rose undertones, silver with white undertones, green-white with rose undertones and green with white undertones. Akoya pearls are most popular in white or cream colors.

Freshwater pearls are usually white, pink, peach, lavender, plum, purple and tangerine. The most popular shade of Freshwater pearls are white with rose undertones.

Southsea Pearls come in colors ranging from white, gold, silver, cream and champagne. The white color has silver or rose undertones.

Tahitian pearls are black, gray, silver, green, orange, gold, blue and purple. The black body colors has green or pink undertones.

Color is a personal preference, but in general people who fair coloring look best in light colors with pink undertones and people with darker complexion will look better in white, black, or golden colors.

Sizes of Pearls

For each pearl type, there is a different average size. Larger mollusks create larger pearls, therefore Southsea and Tahitian pearls are larger than Akoya and Freshwater pearls. The world's largest pearls are from the Southsea, measuring up to 30 mm wide. However, a pearl close to that size will likely to be extremely irregular in shape. Akoya pearls range from 6-8 mm in diameter, 8 mm being large.

Freshwater pearls range from 5-6.5 mm in diameter for best quality.

Average South Sea pearls range from 11-13mm in diameter.

Black Tahitian pearl, also known as the Queen of Pearls, range from 11-12mm in diameter.

The size of pearls depends mainly on personal taste and the occasion. Some women like big pearls for certain pieces such as necklaces or bracelets, and some like small pearls for earrings or pendants. Browse around to see your favorite size.

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