Posts Tagged ‘ tahitian pearls ’

Drop pearls are another unique type of pearl categorized by their shape (much like coin and rice pearls). Rather than being completely round or spherical, these may be either pear or teardrop shaped, depending in part on their origin. The ‘drop’ part of the pearl may be long or it may be on the shorter side but these pearls are always symmetrical, which is a huge part of their appeal. I personally like the ones that look like raindrops.

So what types of drop pearls are available? Truth be told, most of the drop pearls on the market today are freshwater. This isn’t a bad thing – freshwater pearls come in many colors, and can be easily dyed to produce rare (brown for example) or nearly impossible colors – think deep purple or cranberry red. Not only that, but freshwater pearls are widely available and of comparable quality to their saltwater counterparts.

You can also find both Tahitian and South Sea drop pearls, with Tahitian being slightly easier to find (and possibly less expensive too!). Most of the Tahitian drop pearls I’ve seen online are in peacock – however, Tahitians come in so many different colors that with a little searching you may be able to find others.

I’ve heard of baroque Akoyas that are close to drop pearls, but was unable to find any when I looked. Generally speaking, the quality control on Akoya pearls is strict enough that there may be very few drop pearls on the market.

Drop pearls are most often found in earrings or pendants (try looking for a single pearl necklace if nothing turns up when you search for pendants). Traditional pearl strands made entirely of drop pearls are harder to find but they do exist and seem to mostly consist of Tahitians. You might also try looking for a floating pearl or tin cup necklace made entirely of drop pearls for a very unique look. No matter what you choose, these pearls really bring attention to your face and will help you stand out from the crowd.

While it may be easier to find round pearls due to their popularity and value, shopping online makes things much easier. The downside is that some online retailers make false claims so it can be hard to know who you can trust. Here are some reputable companies that carry drop pearls:

• Pearl Paradise
• Pure Pearls
• The Pearl Outlet
• Pearls of Joy

Good luck finding the right pearls for you!

(I’m not affiliated with the above retailers but I have seen them discussed around the web. Generally all four sites have a very good reputation but as always, exercise caution!)

If you want a pearl necklace but want a more exotic color than white, peacock pearls may be just what you’re looking for. These beautiful Tahitian pearls are highly sought after because not only are they unique, but they also have the ability to pair well with and even enhance any outfit. Dyed freshwater pearls can also be found in peacock; both types are gorgeous and are available in a variety of shapes.

Peacock pearls are a greenish-black type of Tahitian pearl. In fact, they are one of the most popular and valuable colors, right behind black. However, they may also be blue gray with a rose to purple overtone (much like a real peacock feather, which has a rainbow of colors). These pearls are often found in unusual shapes; the most common type is ringed, or circled. Drop pearls are also fairly common. Baroque pearls such as these offer a lovely, unconventional charm – that’s why they continue to be so popular even though they may not be the most “valuable.”

There are freshwater peacock pearls too – these are dyed and don’t have quite the same effect but will be must less expensive. Just be aware that some less trustworthy merchants may try to pass off their dyed freshwater pearls as genuine Tahitian peacock pearls. Be wary, and if you can see the pearls in person look for overtones such as rose, purple, or gray. You can also take a look at the luster of the pearls; freshwaters will appear creamier and less metallic, and may appear flatter due to the dye. They also may lack the brilliant orient that is present in Tahitians.

Because peacock is one of the most valuable colors, you might find yourself paying a considerable amount for a well matched pearl necklace. If you would like some less expensive alternatives, you might want to consider choosing peacock pearls for earrings, a single pearl necklace, a ring, or a floating pearl (tin cup) necklace. Freshwater pearls can also be very affordable and beautiful if make sure to buy quality. Also don’t pass up the opportunity to wear some lovely baroque pearls!

If you want a unique pearl necklace, then you might want to consider brown pearls. These pearls have recently come into fashion for several reasons but are still uncommon enough that you may be the only one wearing them! Here I’ll tell you everything you need to know about brown pearls and why you may like them.

I know a lot of people don’t care for brown, but it’s actually a good choice. First of all, many women look good in brown and because it is a neutral color, it is easy to match. Brown is also a great color for fall, when fashion generally turns to dark, rich colors. Furthermore, as I said above, you will stand out because no one else will be wearing brown pearls and they will want to know where you got them! If you’ve changed your mind, let’s cover what your options are.

The most popular choice right now are “chocolate” Tahitian pearls. This variety doesn’t occur in nature, but is generally put through a two-step process of heating and bleaching to bring out their color. Another type of brown is natural but is fairly rare. This type has red or pink overtones – similar to aubergine but with a beautiful definitely brown body color. Don’t care for either of these options? I’ve got one more for you.

Freshwater brown pearls are always dyed; however, there are a couple reasons why you may want them instead of Tahitians. First of all, the main appeal of Tahitians is their rainbow of colors – generally they have overtones that consist of many color combinations on the same pearl. The treatment used to bring out the chocolate color may make the pearls look flatter in comparison. Don’t worry, the color and luster are still exceptionally beautiful – but if you want to buy Tahitians, why not try the natural option?

Dyeing freshwater pearls, in contrast, doesn’t take anything away from the pearls at all. In fact, many freshwater pearls are treated whether through water irradiation, dye, or heat. Furthermore, they may be less expensive than Tahitians so it’s definitely worth it to shop around.

So I’ve covered why brown is a better choice than you may think and explained your options: treated Tahitian chocolate pearls, natural Tahitian pearls with red or pink overtones, and dyed freshwater pearls. Now that I’ve given you the knowledge, finding the perfect piece of jewelry is up to you!

Pearl origins

A pearl is one of the only gems to come from a living organism, making them very valuable. There’s a reason the phrase “like pearls before swine” exists – pearls were at one time so incredibly rare that only the nobility or the extremely wealthy could afford to have them. Pearls are most often made by mollusks such as oysters but they may also be found in snails, conchs and other organisms. The process is generally the same – however, some organisms produce pearls that aren’t made of nacre. (I’ll explain nacre in a minute)

Basically, a small irritant gets into the mollusk’s mantle. It could be as small or smaller than a single grain of sand, but the mollusk will attempt to “quarantine” the irritant by covering it with nacre. Nacre, also called mother of pearl, is the substance that lines the inside of its shell. Over time, layers upon layers of nacre form around the foreign object, forming a pearl. This doesn’t happen very often – in fact, only one in ten thousand oysters ever produces a pearl naturally – and marketable pearls (round, with good luster and surface quality) are even more rare and valuable. You may be wondering why, if that is the case, are there so many pearls on the market? The reason all comes down to cultivation methods that make mass production possible. Most of the pearls you will find these days are cultured and without that process your pearl necklace would most likely not exist.

Cultured pearls and cultivation methods

Freshwater and saltwater pearls have different methods but they both result in a process that artificially stimulates the same process that would occur naturally. This means that they are all natural pearls(versus fake, faux, simulated, etc.) but they are less valuable because there are so many on the market.  Let’s take a quick look at the different methods for each.

Saltwater pearls use what is called ‘bead nucleation.’ A bead, piece of shell, or other small round object is inserted into the oyster’s mantle. The oyster then, as in nature, forms layers of nacre around the nucleated object. Because round beads are often used, saltwater pearls are more likely to be spherical than freshwater. However, each oyster only produces one pearl and depending on the species, survival rates can be low.

Freshwater pearls, on the other hand, use a small piece of mantle tissue to begin pearl formation process. As above, the mantle is inserted in the oyster, then harvested at a later date. Freshwater oysters tend to produce as many as twenty pearls from one oyster! Furthermore, the water can be irradiated to change the color very easily. Their quality is more or less equivalent to saltwater with a slight tendency to irregularity in shape.

Types of Pearls

There are a few main types of pearls on the market. These are mostly named according to region, though in general you may see references to freshwater or saltwater, which I have covered above.

Akoya: These are high quality Japanese (or Chinese) saltwater pearls. They tend to be smaller than some of the other varieties but make up for it with their extremely high quality. Colors tend to be white with rose, ivory, cream, or silver overtones, making them one of the best choices for a classic pearl necklace.

Tahitian:  The name is misleading as there are no pearl farms actually located in Tahiti. Instead pearls are harvested from all over French Polynesia. These are known for their intense, dark, often metallic colors. The black-lipped oyster which produces these pearls is the only one in the world to produce a true black. Other colors include peacock, pistachio, blue, brown, grey, and aubergine.

South Sea: South Sea Pearls are produced in the area between Australia and China. Known for their rich, warm, colors (most often gold), South Sea pearls are also among the largest on the market. Their average size is 13mm though they may also produce pearls as large as 20mm. (For reference, the average pearl size in a necklace is 7-8mm.) These pearls also have a very thick nacre, making them extremely beautiful as well as very durable.

Cortez: In the 1500s, the Gulf of California was known as the sea of pearls, and the pearls harvested from the region were in high demand. However, due to over-fishing the Panama black-lipped and rainbow-lipped oysters were hunted nearly to extinction. Nowadays the only marine cultured pearl farm is located there. They are known for their intense colors and are the only pearls qualified for the “Fair Trade Gems” protocols.

Conch Pearls: These pearls are not actually made of nacre, but are highly valued. They are produced by the Queen Conch mollusk which lives in the Caribbean. Since they cannot be cultured (yet) conch pearls are found very rarely. They are known for their pink colors and unique “flame” pattern.

Melo Melo Pearls: Like the conch above, these are also non-nacreous. They come from a marine snail called the melo melo, which lives in the South China Sea. Again, these are very rare because there is no known cultivation method. Melo melo pearls are best known for their size (very large) and shape (very round). The most valuable color is orange.

Abalone Pearls: These natural pearls are found in the Hailiotis abalone (also called the paua by New Zealanders.) Though they can be cultured, it is a very difficult process – abalone are hemophiliacs! One single nick while nucleating could kill them. For that reason, only mabe pearls can be produced successfully. A beautiful iridescent blue is the most common color and they are popular in New Zealand and Australia, though not yet in the Western Hemisphere.

Scallop Pearls: Like the conch and melo melo, these are not made of nacre but are produced by a similar process. They are found in the “Pacific Lion’s Paw” mollusk which lives in the waters around North and Central America. Scallop pearls are often maroon, plum, orange, and pink, and are very rare.

Though I have listed many different types, the most common are freshwater (usually from China), Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea.

Tahitian pearls have recently grown in popularity, and for good reason. Their lovely array of intense, dark colors (from black, peacock, pistachio, to even blue!) is unusual and stands out when compared to the classic white of Akoya pearls. In fact, the range of colors is so large that these pearls are fairly rare – especially black! Have I managed to pique your interest yet? Well, read on and you’ll be truly hooked!

One of the intriguing things about Tahitian pearls is that they aren’t actually produced in Tahiti, but rather on/around islands throughout French Polynesia. They all come from the same type of oyster, though. The black-lipped oyster (pinctada margaritifera) is the only one in the world to produce the intense colors that Tahitian pearls are known for. Though they are farmed in a wide range of areas, only the ones in the area around French Polynesia can be called Tahitian! Before the advent of modern culturing techniques, these oysters were farmed nearly to extinction, and the pearl industry didn’t gain momentum there until the 1960′s.

As I mentioned earlier, these pearls are known for their wide variety of colors. Perhaps they are most well known for producing the only true black (any other pearl has to be dyed to achieve that color) but their lovely orient means that endless color variations are possible. Even black often has gray or green overtones! In general, the body colors are mostly black, gray, green, brown, or blue. The overtones may be gold, blue, silver, eggplant, pink, or peacock green. Black pearls with peacock overtones are the most valuable; however, there has recently been a surge in demand for pearls with lighter colors such as pistachio. Because of the huge amount of possible body color/overtone combinations, it is hard to find a perfectly matched pearl necklace. Nevertheless, even necklaces made of many colors are strikingly beautiful.

Tahitian pearls are generally on the large side – from 8mm to 14mm – and are required to have .8mm of nacre. Anything less is not released for sale. This guarantees pearls that are lustrous and more resistant to chipping. They also may come in the same variety of shapes as any other type of pearl with the addition of a “circled” or “ringed” shape. Ringed pearls have tiny grooves covering more than a third of the pearl’s surface, giving them a unique shape.

One thing to keep in mind when buying Tahitian pearls is that the grading system is different from that used to grade Akoya. The Tahitian system uses grades A through D, with A being the highest. Grade “A”  pearls have high luster and little to no visible surface flaws over 90% of the pearl’s surface. “B” is medium-high luster with some visible flaws confined to less than one third of the surface. A medium luster pearl with flaws that cover more than a third is rated “C”. Finally, a pearl receiving a “D” grade will have flaws covering at least two-thirds of the surface. Luster is not considered.

The vibrant, almost metallic colors that are found in Tahitian pearls make them a great choice for anyone wanting to stand out in a crowd. These pearls can’t help but draw the eye. From intense blues, greens and blacks, to lighter, pastel shades, there is something for everyone. Their unique ringed pearls are also a great option! Just be aware that you’ll have to navigate a different grading system when you buy.