acoya
Pearls, sacrificing life to give birth to beauty
Acoya is a jewellery brand of Art Director Chitose Ochi focusing solely on pearls. All pearls come from Omura Bay in Nagasaki, Japan. The uneven shapes and subtle differences in colour are considered as the most attractive aspects. The designs are kept in simple form to highlight the charm of the pearls.
The necklace is designed with a delicate gold chain so that the focus is on the individual characteristics of the pearls.
The earrings are available in a hoop form or a classic stud form in which the pearls appears to sit directly on your ear. Both types are very minimal in design. The earrings has four different colour variations. Each pearl is slightly different in colour and shape, so you can enjoy their individuality.
The hoop shaped earrings is an original type of hoop especially designed by the designer. Due to the small size of the hoop, it may be difficult to fit at first. Gently pull the front and back side of the hoop and close it at the backside. Once you get used to it, it will become easier to open and close the hoop.
The discovery of Akoya pearls in Japan dates back to the Jomon Age (14,000-300 BCE). The remains of Akoya oysters have been found at sites where shrines once stood, telling us that they were once regarded as sacred. In the ancient chronicles known as the Kojiki and the poetry collection Manyoshu, pearls appear as “shiratama” (white gems), worn by shrine maidens, regarded as spirits, and used as a metaphor for female beauty.
Like the changing seasons in Japan, the luminescence of Akoya pearls is praisedaround the world for its beauty. It is the spontaneous beauty of the oceans and nature, a miraculous life born of careful collaborative work between humans and the sea. Each and every life is unique, with no two shapes or colors alike. To this spontaneous beauty, to this miraculous life, to these singular existences known as Akoya pearls, we have given the name “acoya.”
Protecting the sea and natural environment, we bring you stories of time immemorial, we bring to the world Omura Bay, known as the Koto Sea, and the oceans of Nagasaki, from where Akoya pearls are born.
