There are pearls - and then THERE ARE PEARLS!

Author - Karin Whitaker

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There are pearls - and then THERE ARE PEARLS!

A recent enquiry led me to find out more information about the world of pearls, and it became an investigation into a particular kind of pearl, the Tahitian Black Pearl. The only pearl in the world which is naturally dark, other kinds are coloured - something that was new to me - it comes in sizes of around 6mm up to 14mm.

And the colour can vary from pale grey through mid grey to near black. These stunning cultured pearls are only grown on Tahiti and in the South Seas.

What do these items cost? Well, anything from £10 - £3000 each! The price depends on size, evenness of shape, thickness of the nacre, which is the covering of mother of pearl the oyster puts around the impurity inside its shell, colour evenness and (lack of) blemishes.

The pearls only come from one type of oyster, the Pinctada margaritafera mollusk. It takes two years for an oyster to mature enough to produce pearls. The cultured Tahitian pearl comes in various shapes, sizes, and colors; shapes include round, semi-round, button, circle, oval, teardrop, semi-baroque and baroque. Because of their darker hues, Tahitian pearls are commonly known as "black pearls". However, Tahitian pearls have the ability to contain various undertones and overtones of green, pink, blue, silver and yellow.

It would be lovely to work with these beautiful pearls one day....