AAA Japanese Akoya Pearl Necklace 18ct Yellow Gold 5–5.5mm 18" Knotted Strand

Few pieces of jewellery carry the cultural weight of a Japanese Akoya pearl necklace, and fewer still are made to this standard. Every pearl in this strand has been individually graded AAA, the highest quality classification in pearl grading, reserved for pearls that display exceptional lustre, near-perfect surface quality, excellent roundness, and a consistency of colour and size that is simply not found at lower grades. This is the pearl necklace, done properly.

Japanese Akoya pearls are the benchmark by which all cultured pearls are measured. Grown in the cold, clean waters of Japan, they develop the mirror-bright, almost reflective lustre that has made them the world's most coveted saltwater pearl for over a century. At AAA grade, the lustre on each 5–5.5mm pearl in this strand is exceptional;clear, deep, and glowing, with a delicate rose-silver overtone that is the hallmark of the finest Akoya pearls.

The strand is hand-knotted between each pearl, the traditional method that protects the pearls, ensures they drape beautifully, and means that if the thread were ever to break, not a single pearl would be lost. It is fastened with a polished 18ct yellow gold ball clasp that sits with quiet elegance at the back of the neck. At 18 inches, this is the classic pearl necklace length, sitting at the collarbone on most necklines, universally flattering, and endlessly appropriate.

This is the gift that never needs justification, for a 21st birthday, a graduation, a wedding, a significant anniversary, or any moment that deserves a piece of jewellery that will last a lifetime and beyond. Pearl is the birthstone for June and the traditional gift for a 30th wedding anniversary. A AAA Japanese Akoya pearl necklace in 18ct yellow gold is not merely a piece of jewellery; it is an heirloom. Arrives beautifully presented and ready to give.