All about the Tahitian pearl

The Tahitian pearl is both fascinating and impressive. What's more, its color is different from other pearls, as it is black. Polynesians have known about its existence for thousands of years. Its color and splendor make it one of the most famous pearls in the world. If you're interested in this little treasure, let's discover this Pacific oyster wonder together.

What is the Tahitian pearl?

Tahitian pearls are gems. Which confirms its beauty. Gems have long been associated with precious stones. Tahitian pearls are obtained from a variety of bivalve molluscs: the Pinctada margaritifera pearl oyster. Most of the world's pearls are white, beige, gray or some other light hue, but the Tahitian pearl is an exception. Indeed, its black color is unique in the world. But where does this color come from?

The black color of Tahitian pearls varies from gray to black, with a few differences such as green, blue, peacock, eggplant, bronze or copper. This black color is the basis of Polynesian lagoons. You should know that the color of a pearl generally depends on the mollusc that produces it. This pearl is mainly found in the Tuamotu archipelago, which is the largest in Polynesia. There's also the pearl farm of Mr Robert Wan, better known as the Tahitian Pearl Emperor, in the Gambier Islands. Tahitian black pearls come from mollusks with a thick, very dark nacre.

Characteristics of Tahitian black pearls

This variety of pearl is one of the most impressive in the world. They are characterized by their color, size, luster and shape.

The color of Tahitian pearls

Also known as the lagoon pearl or Polynesian pearl, the Tahitian pearl is characterized by 3 color components. The hue is the most dominant color. It can vary from dark black to gray. Luster is its degree of luminosity. This is obtained by the interaction between light and the pearl's surface. Finally, saturation is the intensity of the color. We speak of vividness and purity. You'll come across several hues and a wide palette of darker colors for Tahitian loss. This hue depends essentially on the color of the implant, the quality of the water (whether natural or cultured).

Pearl size

The size of a pearl is its diameter. It is expressed in millimeters. Tahitian pearls can range from 8 to 16 mm. Some even reach impressive diameters of 18 to 21 mm.

The shape of Polynesian lagoon pearls

Tahitian pearls come in 7 shapes. These 7 shapes define 5 categories. There are round, oval, semi-round, button, drop, baroque, semi-baroque and hooped black pearls.

The value of a Tahitian pearl

The value of a black pearl depends on a number of factors, such as its color, size, thickness of the mother-of-pearl, luster and number of imperfections. A black pearl with no surface imperfections is more expensive than one with imperfections. This is the most important criterion for judging the value of a black pearl. There are 5 qualities or classes of black pearl. There is top gem quality, and A, B, C and D quality. Top gem quality is awarded to pearls with no surface imperfections.

How to choose a Tahitian pearl

It's not always easy to determine the quality of a Tahitian black pearl. The question is to make the right choice. To do so, you need to consider the commercial quality of the pearl, i.e. the category to which it belongs. The Tahitian pearl is one of the most expensive pearls in the world. Choosing the right pearl means finding the best value for money on the market.

How can you tell if a Tahitian pearl is original?

It's pretty easy to tell the difference between a genuine Tahitian pearl and a counterfeit, even with basic knowledge. Tahitian pearls that are perfect, i.e. perfectly smooth on the surface, are very rare. Most real pearls have a few imperfections. A fake Tahitian pearl is most often sold with a perfectly spherical surface, smooth and opaque to light. Remember that real pearls reflect light.

There are two types of genuine Tahitian pearls: cultured pearls and natural pearls. Natural pearls cannot be harvested or sold. The difference is in the creation of the pearl. Now that you know all about Tahitian black pearls, all you have to do is choose the one that's right for you.