| The Pacific Ocean is home to the black-lipped | | | | reflected and refracted to produce a shimmering |
| oysters that produce large Tahitian pearls. The | | | | effect. This shimmering creates magnificent colors |
| ocean waters are warm, and this allows the | | | | which seem to travel and move throughout the |
| oysters to grow much larger than in other areas, | | | | pearl. This is part of what makes the Tahitian |
| thus producing larger pearls. Tahitian oysters are | | | | pearl so unique. |
| farmed in large sheltered lagoons that are kept | | | | Criteria |
| free of pollution and overcrowding. Water | | | | Pearls are graded based on certain criteria. These |
| temperatures and nutritional levels, as well as | | | | are: |
| environmental and biological conditions are | | | | - Size - the expensive pearls are the larger ones. |
| monitored carefully. These well cared for oysters | | | | The Robert Wan Pearl is the largest Tahitian Pearl |
| are responsible for producing the beautiful Tahitian | | | | and it measured over 20.92mm or 13/16 of an |
| Pearls. | | | | inch in diameter. Tahitian pearls usually measure |
| How a Tahitian pearl is formed | | | | between 9mm and 14mm and are considerably |
| Aragonite, which is a form of calcium carbonate, | | | | larger than Chinese or Japanese pearls. |
| is secreted by the pearl oyster. This substance | | | | - Pearl Thickness - layers surrounding the nucleus. |
| coats the inside of the oyster shell and produces | | | | - Shape - round pearls are the most sought after |
| the "mother-of-pearl" lining. It also forms the | | | | and cannot vary more than 2% from being |
| layers of a pearl. Layers are formed from the | | | | perfectly spherical. Tahitian pearls can also be |
| oyster's secretion. The oyster can produce | | | | semi-round and semi-baroque. |
| aragonite secretions up to four times a day with | | | | - Surface Purity - surface imperfections on the |
| each secretion forming another layer. The layers | | | | pearl. |
| are about one micron or 0.001mm thick. Tahitian | | | | - Quality - the luster and the imperfections of the |
| oyster live for about two years which means | | | | pearl. |
| they produce up to about two thousand layers; | | | | - Brilliance - the orient and the luster of the pearl. |
| more than most other pearls. The light passes | | | | The orient, which is the shimmering quality of the |
| through these multiple microscopic layers and is | | | | pearl, is very noticeable in Tahitian pearls. |