Akoya Pearl Overtones

The color of an Akoya pearl is a combination of body color and overtone. Generally the body color will be white, cream or black with a white body color being more prized. Although the black body color is not found naturally it can be created through a process called irradiation, where the nucleus of the pearl is bombarded with gamma rays to achieve a permanent coloration of the pearl.

Within the white and cream body colors you will also an overtone present, usually in rose(pink), cream, or silver. Below is an example of the 3 most common overtones found in white Akoya pearls:

Rose, Cream, Silver and Black(Dyed)

What Color Will Look Best?

A general guideline is skin tone. Many women with fair or light colored skin feel rose overtones look best, while women with dark skin(or tan easily) find black or cream overtones look best, with silver being a nice middle ground if you're not sure.
What color you choose should be based on the personal preference of the person who will wear the pearls

More Akoya Pearl Information:

Akoya Pearl Basics
Akoya Pearl Overtones
Akoya Pearl Grading System
Akoya Pearl Size Guideline
Japanese vs. Chinese Akoya Pearls

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