Tahitian Pearls

Named after their location, Tahitian Pearls are native to French Polynesia. The warm, calm waters provide a safe ecosystem for the rare, black lip oyster, where Tahitian Pearls are found. Pearls are the country’s biggest export and make up to 18% of French Polynesia’s GDP.

In cultivated Tahitian Pearls, the Pinctada Margaritifera mollusk has a bead placed inside it, to ease and assist the pearl formation. The bead is made of mollusk shell and coated in mantle tissue from a donor mollusk and helps the Pinctada Margaritifera form rounder pearls, while the mantle tissue provides cells to ensure the mollusk will produce nacre around the bead. The nacre is the outer layer of pearls and is made of organic material oysters and mollusks produce naturally.

Their usual size varies between 8mm to 13mm in diameter. As with many pearls, they exist in many different variations from deep black to light white, with hues of green, blue, silver and yellow. One exclusive and delicate Tahitian Pearl necklace is currently available at Steven Stone.