The tittle « Tahitian Black Pearl » is a label of quality not a description of its color.
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What is the tahitian black pearl ?
It is a cultured pearl with natural hue produced by black lip oyster shell (Pinctada Margaritifera). |
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Why the black pearl is not always black ?
This pearl can have amaizing colors from the very pure mother of pearl to the very dark grey, with many astonishing tones like the purple, the blue, the green, many colors that will make you think of the colors of our lagoons . |
Where do we produce those pearls ?
Black pearl farms are located in Tuamotu and Gambier archipaelagos in French Polynesia (Map).The sea water in those lagoons is optimum for those shells( deep lagoon, cool temperature, no fresh water from river) |
How much time does it take to produce a pearl ?
First graft can be done when the shell is three years old. We introduce a piece of mother of pearl that comes from a fresh water mussel from Mississipi River called Nucleus.
Then we need to wait for 18 months to give enough time to the shell to produce more than 0.8 mm of mother of pearl around the nucleus.This will give the first pearl. |
How many pearl will an oyster produce in its life ?
Most of the time, those shells will only produce one , but if the pearl collected has a very good quality, then a second emplant will be done with a bigger nucleus, to get a bigger pearl .
Occasionnaly, this pinctada margaritifera will be grafted a third time. |
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Few numbers
Out of a hundred shells :
10 will die after the grafted.
10 will die during the 18 month because of predators or weather conditions.
30 will reject the nucleus and won’t produce any pearl but will produce keishis.
20 will produce a "reject".
30 pearls are left but only one or two are "A" grade quality pearl. |
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