The Tahitian pearl

The Tahitian pearl is one of the gems. The designation of gem, long reserved for precious stones, further confirms the beauty of this pearl. The Tahitian pearl is produced by a variety of bivalve mollusks: the pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera. While most pearls are white, gray, or light-toned, the Tahitian pearl is an exception with its black color. But what is the origin of this color?

The color of the Tahitian pearl varies from black to gray, with different overtones such as green, blue, peacock, aubergine, copper, and bronze. Black is therefore the base color of pearls from the Polynesian lagoons.

It is important to note that the color of a pearl primarily depends on the type of mollusk that produced it. The pearls from Polynesian lagoons are mainly found in the Tuamotu Archipelago, the largest archipelago of Polynesia (76 atolls, including the well-known Rangiroa and Fakarava), but also in the Gambier Islands, which is home to the pearl farms of Mr. Robert Wan, the emperor of the Tahitian pearl.

They can also be found in the Society Archipelago, which includes the islands of Tahiti with its capital Papeete; Moorea, an island with a bay named after the famous navigator James Cook; Bora Bora, known for its postcard-like landscapes; as well as Raiatea and Huahine among the most famous. There are also golden pearls produced by pearl oysters in Australia: Pinctada Maxima, or white pearls produced by other varieties in several regions of the world. Tahitian pearls, known as “Black Pearls,” are thus the result of mollusks with a thick, very dark nacre.