| Since recorded history, man has coveted the | | | | and blue, but other colors exist. Search on the |
| luminous white gems we call pearls. Revered the | | | | Internet for Tahitian cultured pearl images, and |
| world over for their rare beauty, otherworldly | | | | you will see they are not all black! |
| sheen and understated elegance, pearls are as | | | | Buying a black pearl necklace |
| popular in modern society as they were with | | | | At an average size of 8mm-14mm, Tahitian |
| European royals and Egyptian princesses centuries | | | | cultured pearls--especially those specimens that |
| ago. Today, pearl jewelry connoisseurs have a | | | | are gem-quality and round--are very expensive. |
| new love: black pearls. Exotic, luxurious and rare, a | | | | (GIA estimates that one first-quality, unusually |
| rich black pearl necklace presents a striking | | | | large Tahitian cultured pearl will set you back |
| picture--the gems definitely lack the demure, | | | | thousands of dollars!) If only one to two percent |
| chaste image of their classic white counterparts. | | | | of the harvest produces a fine quality round |
| For the woman who has everything, a black pearl | | | | Tahitian cultured pearl, imagine how long it takes |
| necklace, whether showcased alone in a pendant | | | | to make a matched strand! No wonder a black |
| or in a perfectly matched strand, makes a | | | | pearl necklace is so costly. Choose carefully, |
| wonderful addition to her jewelry collection. Think | | | | keeping in mind that pearls with a desirable |
| of how lovely a black pearl necklace will look on | | | | overtone (secondary color) and pearls that are |
| any skin tone! | | | | larger than typical will be more expensive. Look |
| Where do jewelers get the pearls they use in a | | | | for pearls that are well-matched, not pitted or |
| matched black pearl necklace? | | | | marked in any obvious way (minor surface |
| "Black" pearls are also known as "Tahitian cultured | | | | characteristics are acceptable). Be sure to check |
| pearls," but both names are misleading. Not only | | | | return policies up front, too, in case you have a |
| are Tahitian cultured pearls not exclusively black, | | | | problem. Ask your retail jeweler for his or her |
| they're also not grown in Tahiti. Called "black" | | | | store policy or, if buying online, check the site's |
| because of their exotic dark colors, Tahitian | | | | guarantee prior to making a purchase. Once you |
| cultured pearls can be gray, blue, green and | | | | receive your pearls, be sure to examine them |
| brown. And they're grown in the lagoons of small | | | | closely. After wearing, store your pearl necklace |
| islands that are part of a group known as French | | | | away from other gems; while fairly durable, pearls |
| Polynesia. Tahiti, the largest island, serves as the | | | | are prone to scratching and their nacre will erode |
| group's center of commerce, and not as a pearl | | | | over time, especially if exposed to harsh |
| growing mecca. Interestingly, fine Tahitian cultured | | | | chemicals like bleach, perfume and chlorine. |
| pearls have only been on the market since the | | | | Black pearl necklaces in modern fashion |
| 1970s. Yet they have become quite popular in | | | | Although slow to catch on at first, thanks in part |
| that short time. | | | | to publicity from stars such as actress Elizabeth |
| Growing Tahitian pearls | | | | Taylor, a renowned jewelry collector who wore a |
| Tahitian pearls are cultivated for around two | | | | striking black pearl necklace in publicity photos for |
| years in Pinctada margaritifera cumingi, a large | | | | her Black Pearls perfume launch, Tahitian cultured |
| saltwater mollusk that is native to French | | | | pearls are wildly popular today. It's not hard to |
| Polynesia. One of the ways this unique oyster | | | | find examples of fine black pearl jewelry in |
| differs from other species is that its interior shell | | | | modern society. Look around and you'll see black |
| color is dark. This so-called "black lipped" oyster | | | | pearl necklaces on everyone from |
| also has black mantle edges--the "lips" that give | | | | businesswomen to moms to Hollywood A-list |
| the animal its descriptive name. Due to | | | | actresses, models and celebrities. Take Kiera |
| overfishing, adult wild oyster populations aren't as | | | | Knightly, for example, who wore a stunning black |
| plentiful as they used to be. In an effort to | | | | baroque Tahitian cultured pearl choker at the |
| reverse this trend, the government protects the | | | | premier of her movie, The Black Pearl. Stars like |
| animals; pearl farmers in French Polynesia who | | | | Christy Turlington, Naomi Watts, Heidi Klum, |
| wish to culture the black lipped oyster must raise | | | | Michael Michelle, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Shalom |
| the oysters from spat (baby oysters). If the | | | | Harlow are also pearl fans. |
| farmer is successful in nurturing the spat to | | | | Perhaps black pearls' popularity is why designers |
| adulthood, at around two and a half to three | | | | like David Yurman, Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso |
| years old, the oysters are implanted with mantle | | | | (for Tiffany & Co.) are incorporating stunning |
| tissue and a mother-of-pearl bead to start the | | | | black pearls, and even black baroque and black |
| pearl growing process. This delicate operation is | | | | keshi pearls, into modern designs like long chain |
| performed by specially trained workers called | | | | necklaces, brooches, chokers and charm bracelets. |
| nucleators; even so, according to the Gemological | | | | Black pearl drop earrings and pendants are also |
| Institute of America, more than 50 percent of | | | | favorites, as they require little matching--or none |
| the oysters die or reject the nucleus. | | | | at all. Whimsical designs on cufflinks and in popular |
| Literature from GIA says, "Add those oysters to | | | | frog, dragonfly and other animal pins incorporate |
| the ones that don't meet the implantation criteria: | | | | black pearls as well. |
| The farmer's potential pearl-producing stock is less | | | | Black pearl necklace alternatives |
| than half the number that lived long enough to be | | | | When most people think of black pearl jewelry, |
| considered for nucleation. When the pearl growth | | | | they naturally think of Tahitian cultured pearls. But |
| period begins, after three years of work, the | | | | prices are high for these rare gems, in part due |
| farmer has only 20 percent of the oysters he | | | | to their large size, unusual colors, and the high |
| collected as spat." No wonder a fine quality | | | | cost of producing them. If you want to wear real |
| Tahitian cultured pearl is so rare! | | | | Tahitian cultured pearls, one way to do so without |
| Tahitian pearl growth generally takes place in a | | | | breaking the bank is to choose a pendant-style |
| closed lagoon that is ringed by coral reefs. Such a | | | | necklace with a single pearl; black pearl stud |
| setup offers protection and a stable environment | | | | earrings; a single black pearl ring, or black baroque |
| for the implanted oysters to complete the | | | | (non-symmetrical) pearls. These designs are every |
| pearl-growing process. After the oysters have | | | | bit as exotic yet much more affordable than a |
| been submerged for 22 to 26 months, they're | | | | matched black pearl strand. |
| hauled to the surface, where any pearls they | | | | For customers for whom Tahitian pearl jewelry is |
| managed to grow are harvested. The farmers | | | | beyond reach, there are some inexpensive yet |
| then clean and lightly buff the gems prior to | | | | beautiful alternatives to the classic black pearl |
| offering them for sale. Farmers also sort the | | | | necklace. Today, freshwater pearls--round, drop, |
| pearls by color, shape, etc. and grouped with like | | | | button and baroque--are color-treated to produce |
| pearls. | | | | a look that closely resembles the hue of Tahitian |
| In the end, only one to two percent of the | | | | cultured pearls. The natural-looking result is |
| Tahitian cultured pearl crop consists of fine quality | | | | beautiful and looks great in such pieces as a |
| round cultured pearls. | | | | baroque black pearl bracelet, black pearl drop |
| Color | | | | earrings or black pearl necklace. Every bit as real |
| Today, the most sought-after Tahitian cultured | | | | as their Tahitian cousins, black freshwater cultured |
| pearls are dark green-gray to blue gray with | | | | pearls' color is man-made, but keep in mind that |
| rosé or purple overtones. But how do | | | | nearly all pearls are treated somehow (bleaching is |
| pearls get their color? No one is completely sure, | | | | the most common enhancement). |
| but we do know that pearl colors are determined | | | | If you're after not only the color but the size of |
| by several factors, including variations in the host | | | | fine Tahitian pearls, consider a black "pearl" |
| oyster, color variation of the implanted donor | | | | necklace made from black mother-of-pearl beads. |
| mussel tissue, the number and thickness of nacre | | | | Their generous size, lustrous sheen and affordable |
| layers, and variations in growing environment such | | | | price make them a popular alternative to a fine |
| as temperature and water quality. Tahitian pearls | | | | Tahitian pearl necklace. |
| are most often variations of gray, black, green | | | | |