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Tahitian Black Pearls
Black
Tahitian Pearls are cultured
from the black-lipped oyster, Pinctada
margaritifera. A large tropical or
semi-tropical oyster. They generally
range in size from 10mm up and
command premium prices because
of their relative rarity and large size.
The size of pearls is expressed in
terms of their diameter measured in
millimeters (mm). One millimeter is
about 1/25 of an inch. Since pearl size
varies within a strand, a range of 1/2
millimeter is usually indicated, e.g.
7 - 7 1/2 mm. Occasionally, a few of the
pearls might fall slightly above or below the size indicated.
The size of non-round pearls can be expressed in terms of their greatest
width and length in some cases depth. The measurements are generally
rounded to the nearest half or whole millimeter.
Black pearls are not necessarily black. More often than not they range
from a medium to very dark gray. Luster Black pearls can look almost
metallic. You should expect a higher and different luster from them
than you would from white pearls.
Dark nacre does not reflect light in the same way that white nacre does.
The best way to learn the luster potential of a black pearl is to look
at black pearls ranging from very low to very high luster. After you
compare them, you probably won't be satisfied with a black pearl of
low luster. Low luster in black pearls is often correlated with thin
nacre, as is the case with white pearls.
