Exotic Treasures from French Polynesia

Black pearls or Tahitian pearls are cultured in the black lipped oyster, the Pinctada Margaritifera.  This huge, Frisbee-sized bivalve grows to 10 inches in diameter and about 10 pounds.  For a big girl, Margaritifera is a surprisingly delicate mollusk that tolerates a very narrow range of growing conditions.  For this reason, black pearls are difficult and costly to cultivate.

Most black pearls are cultured in quiet lagoons along remote atolls in French Polynesia.  Fiji, the Cook Islands, the Sea of Cortez and other Pacific outposts are becoming more active in black pearl cultivation.

Black pearls occur in a range of natural colors from gray to black with iridescent overtones of green, purple, blue, rose and silver.  Sizes range from 8mm to 20mm or more.  Anything over 12mm is especially rare and pricey.  A black pearl under 8mm was probably dyed.  Besides size and color, other pearl value factors apply to black pearls.

In and around the year 2000, short cultured, thin nacre black pearls flooded the market to meet international demand.  In response the government of Tahiti instituted strict export controls that include x-raying all pearls to insure a minimum nacre thickness of 0.8mm.  Unethical producers still smuggle inferior quality, thin nacre pearls onto the world market.  We don’t buy them.  You shouldn’t either.  Finest quality black pearls should have a nacre thickness of at least 1mm.

Tahitian Drop Circle Natural Color Pearls

Tahitian black pearls are exotic, mysterious and uniquely alluring.  Be sure you are buying natural color black pearls.  Lesser quality salt and fresh water pearls are often dyed to mimic the real thing.   Dyed black pearls have a saturated color that lacks the nuance of natural color pearls.  Any color treatment must be disclosed.  Dyed pearls should cost a fraction of natural color pearls.  Other treatments such as irradiation or the use of silver nitrate harm the structural integrity of the pearl.  Sale of these pearls is unethical but it happens to unwary buyers. Seabourn Pearls sells only genuine cultured natural color black pearls.

Don’t get ripped off.  Buy from someone who specializes in pearls.  Insist upon a written money back guarantee.  Make sure your bill of sale states that your black pearls are genuine cultured natural color pearls.  Ask the dealer if they object to the sale being contingent upon completion of an independent appraisal and or lab report.

If you are considering an investment in Tahitian/black pearls we invite you to shop our online gallery or visit Seabourn Pearls in Freeport, Maine.  We have all kinds of pearls to show you including a large inventory of natural color black pearls.  And every piece we sell is backed by our unconditional satisfaction guarantee.

Contact us today to buy pearls, ask questions, request information or arrange a private appointment.  Let us know how we can serve you.