Black South Sea Pearls

Black South Sea pearls are cultured using a species of oyster called the Pinctada Margaritifera or "black-lip" oyster. This variety of mollusk is indigenous to the lagoons and the atolls of French Polynesia.

Tahitian oysters love the pristine lagoon waters, where temperatures range between 24-29 degrees. At 18 degrees, it stops growing, and at 11 degrees, it dies. The most common way of collecting the "black lip" oysters is by spat-collection in the open sea and growing them to maturity in farms.

As with other South Sea pearls, the Tahitian pearl ranges in size from 8-16mm (sometimes bigger).

Colours of Tahitian pearls range from gold through greens to aubergine or purple, and to quite a dark black. Generally, the darker the pearl, the more valuable it is. True peacock black pearls are typically expensive.

Shapes come in round (only a limited percentage), oval, drop, button and baroque. A significant amount also come in circles. Pearls can be harvested throughout the year.