TAHITIAN PEARLS
 |
GEM |
|
AAA |
|
AA+/AAA |
GIA GRADE |
AA |
AA+ |
AA+/AAA |
AAA |
GEM |
LUSTER |
Good |
High |
Very High |
Highest |
Highest/Gem |
INCLUSIONS |
Fair
>40% inclusion free |
Good
>70% inclusion free |
Very Good
>80% inclusion free |
Excellent
>90% inclusion free |
Excellent
clean surface |
SHAPE |
Near-Round |
Near-Round to Round |
Round |
Perfectly Round |
Perfectly Round |
MATCHING |
Good |
Very Good |
Very Good |
Excellent |
Excellent |
NACRE |
Medium to Thick |
Thick |
Thick |
Thick |
Very Thick |
FARM GRADE |
C |
B |
A/B |
A |
TOP GEM |
 |
Peacock Overtone |
|
Aqua Overtone |
|
Silver Overtone |
Tahitian pearls are the only naturally occurring black pearls. They are a variety of South Sea pearl produced by the Black-Lipped Oyster, and farmed primarily in French Polynesia. It is mistakenly thought these stunning gems are farmed in Tahiti; however this is not the case. Tahiti is the primary commercial center for the trade of Black Tahitian pearls.
Cultured Tahitian pearls are grown through bead nucleation like other saltwater pearls. The French Polynesian government tightly regulates the quality standards of all Tahitian pearls exported for commercial trade.
Tahitian pearls typically have a charcoal body colour that ranges in intensity from the very rare black to silver. However, the Black-Lipped Oyster can also produce pearls that are very light in colour as well. Tahitians have an amazing range of overtones, some of which are: peacock, silver, bronze, aqua, and green. Tahitian pearls are also available in a variety of shapes including: off-round, drop, baroque, and circled. Tahitian pearls typically range in size from 9mm to 16mm.
TAHITIAN PEARL SIZES
| |  |
|
9.0 |
|
10.0 |
|
11.0 |
|
12.0 |
|
13.0 |
|
14.0 |
|
15.0 |
|
16.0 |
mm |
|
