Pearl Jewelry and Akoya Pearls

About Pearl Jewelry

Pearl jewelry is set with the one gem grown by a living animal. A pearl forms inside a mollusk as layers of nacre build around an irritant, and nearly every pearl sold today is cultured, meaning a farmer places the nucleus and the mollusk does the rest. Pearl measures 2.5 to 4.5 on the Mohs scale, so it is a soft gem that wants gentle wear.

Our pearl listing is mostly necklaces and pendants set with white cultured Akoya pearls and seed pearls, including halo and heart designs. Akoya pearls come from a saltwater oyster raised mainly in Japan and China. They are usually 6 to 9 mm, round, and known for a sharp, mirror-like luster and a white body with a rose or cream overtone. Seed pearls are very small, usually under 3 mm, and they add texture and halo detail rather than acting as a single feature.

Pearls are judged on luster, surface, shape, nacre thickness, color and size. Luster matters most, so look for a bright, sharp reflection rather than a chalky glow. Small surface marks are normal and affect price far less than dull luster does. Round pearls cost more than near-round or baroque shapes, and larger sizes cost more at the same quality.

Treatment is standard for pearls and worth asking about. Akoya pearls are commonly bleached to lighten the body and often tinted to even out the overtone. That is accepted practice, but a pearl in its natural color with no tint commands a premium, and dyed pearls in shades such as black or blue are priced lower. Pearls have no single universal grading scale, so we make no grading claim from a listing. Ask about the treatment of a specific piece in the showroom.

Why ATL Luxury Jewelry for Pearl

Pearl is bought by eye, and luster and surface are hard to judge from a photograph. ATL Luxury Jewelry has been in Snellville, GA since 2008, and the showroom at 1905 Scenic Hwy N Ste 230 is where you can hold a strand or a pendant in daylight and compare it against another. The store holds 300+ five-star Google reviews.

Cleaning, inspection and prong tightening are free in store, and pearl restringing is covered by our care plans. Catalog pearl pieces are made to order, and if you want a different pearl, size or setting we design custom pieces with you in the showroom. Book a design consultation to start.