BLACK PEARLS

 The exotic Tahitian Black Pearl has been the stuff of myth and legend since its discovery. It is said that early Polynesians believed the black pearl oyster was offered to mankind by Oro, their god of peace and fertility, who came to Earth on a rainbow. To their princess, Oro gave the oyster’s shimmering dark pearl as a token of his love and desire to marry her. For centuries the black pearl from this long-lived oyster has symbolized eternal love and has been considered a special gift of romance.

Not truly “black” just as the white pearl is not exactly “white,” the Tahitian pearl received its name from its host, the mollusk Pinctada margaritifera, commonly known as the black-lipped oyster. Black pearls fall into an array of shimmering grays, from almost black to almost silver. Layering of the oyster’s organic nacre (the lustrous coating of mother of pearl) causes the deep grays to reflect a myriad of rich colors including greens, blue, peacock, and copper. The rarest black pearl specimens contain pink, purple, or brilliant green overtones.

Tahitian pearls are highly-prized and easily recognizable due to their extraordinarily dark natural colors, their luminescence, and their size. They are dramatic, rare and valuable.

Black pearls have been historically treasured and have come to be known as “the Queen of Pearls” and “the Pearl of Queens.” The Russian crown jewels include a necklace featuring a black pearl centerpiece they called the Azra, and in the 1700’s Catherine the Great wore a necklace of 30 black pearls. The crown of Austria was set with nearly three dozen black pearls, and Napoleon III’s consort, Empress Eugenie, wore a black pearl necklace which brought them to the center-stage of Europe’s court fashion. (Speaking of treasure, there is even a centuries old rumor that a pair of Tahitian pearls given to Fletcher Christian may have partially caused the famous mutiny on the Bounty!)

Currently black pearls are ten to fifteen times as expensive as white pearls due mainly to their rarity and high demand.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Saturday/Sunday, October 14-15, 2006:

“The quality of these large (Tahitian) black or gray pearls is improving due to government regulations and prices are starting to climb off their 2004 lows. Some gemologists predict prices will keep rising. A 10mm round Tahitian pearl sells for about $475….”

“Tahitian pearls are the most promising investments now, many experts say, since prices are climbing fast due to efforts by producers to control production.”

“For pearl lovers, the world is your oyster right now.”

 

 

Classification of Black Pearls

To help individuals interested in purchasing black pearls make an informed selection, the government of Tahiti issued a set of rules by which Tahitian black pearls are judged. The Tahitian Pearls Economic Interest Group breaks the judging down into four categories: Size, Shape, Surface Quality, and Natural Color.

Size:

The great majority of Tahitian black pearls range in size from 8 to 12 millimeters. Black pearls have been found as large as 18 millimeters, but they are extremely rare.

Shape:

Round: perfectly round sphere
Semi-round: slightly imperfect sphere
Semi-baroque: pear-shaped, teardrop, or oval
Baroque: irregular in form with no symmetry
Circled: distinct bands around the pearl

Surface Quality:

This is a much more difficult category to judge, as it is based on the quantity of surface imperfections and the luster (the shine and ability to reflect light).

Surface quality is broken down into four sub-categories:

Class A:
• Visible imperfections on less than 10% of the surface.
• Remarkable luster.

Class B:
• Visible imperfections on less than 33% of the surface.
• Regular luster.

Class C:
• Visible imperfections on less than 66% of the surface.
• Regular luster.

Class D:
• Visible imperfections on more than 66% of the surface.
• Lacking luster

Natural Color:

Tahitian black pearls exist in a broad array of colors, and they are all totally natural. One will find overtones of blue, silver, gold, pink, green, eggplant, and rainbow. Color is a personal preference; however, overtones of pink, purple, and peacock green are frequently preferred.

The Culture of Black Pearls

The symbiosis with nature required for the cultivation of Tahitian Black Pearls is slow and arduous, yet ultimately inexplicably rewarding. The end product is so exquisite… so intriguing… that one can easily overlook the two years it took to create the true treasure of the ocean… the magical black pearl.

The entire process takes place in one of the most remote areas of the world… the pristine lagoons of French Polynesia in the vast Pacific Ocean.

A Tahitian Cultured Black Pearl is one that is obtained by a grafting operation performed by a skilled technician on the Pinctada margaritifera (more commonly known as the “Black Lipped Oyster”) of French Polynesia. The technician inserts a nucleus into the oyster, upon which intrusion the oyster secretes mother-of-pearl around the nucleus. From the grafting to the harvesting of a black pearl, a period of 18 to 24 months is required to achieve the desirable thickness of mother-of-pearl around the nucleus.

Although black pearls are most often multicolored, metallic steel gray is the most common color. The color of the pearls is entirely natural and is imparted by the oyster. Oysters produce dark, multicolored mother of pearl secretions.

Dyed black pearls exist, but none will be found in French Polynesia as their importation and sale is illegal.

Natural (not cultured) black pearls still occur extremely rarely in the wild. One in every 10,000 oysters will create a natural black pearl; however, it is illegal to dive for oysters for the purpose of finding a natural pearl as the natural stocks would quickly be depleted.

The first Black Pearls were produced in French Polynesia in the mid 1960’s (quite some time before any other neighboring island). The Cook Islands and Kiribati now produce approximately 3% of the world’s supply of black pearls.

All Tahitian Black Pearls exported from Tahiti must pass through a government x-ray inspection process. The government requires that all pearls have a minimum of 0.8mm of nacre around the nucleus.

Care of Black Pearls

*** It is best not to store pearls in boxes, as it is beneficial for pearls to be worn often. They absorb moisture from the air and the skin which enhances their luster. Pearls should be wiped with a soft cloth after wearing them. From time to time, pearls should be dampened with water and polished with a drop of oil. Pearls should not be subjected to chlorine, commercial jewelry or ammonia based cleaners, detergent, baking soda, bleach, abrasive materials, scouring pads, concrete, or rough stones, including diamonds.