For centuries black pearls, originally hailing from Tahiti, have been valued all over the world for their unique beauty and captivating hues.  A popular in adornment in jewely, black pearls have a mystical aura, largely because of their striking iridescent qualities, appearing to have different colors from different angles.  

Colors of Black Pearls

Not literally black, black pearls actually appear in a range of colors — blueish shades, black, gray, metallic hues, greenish or pink overtones — and often have an iridescent qualities.  The black-lipped oyster Pinctada margaritifera  that  produces  Black pearls is larger than the Japanese Akoya oyster where white pearls come from, and black pearls are usually larger than white pearls.

Where Do Black Pearls Come From?

Naturally occurring black pearls are quite rare and originate in Tahiti and are commonly referred to as Tahitian pearls.  In the nineteen sixties Jean-Marie Dormand  of France, started cultivating black pearls Bora Bora lagoons in French Polynesia.

Colors

Black pearls occur in a wide array of hues, greenish colors, silver-like, pinkish, golden, purplish colors. Such colorful overtones certainly lend to their appeal for individuals buying black pearl jewellery.  Colors are often selected according to how well it matches a person’s skin, hair, and eye color.

Black Pear Jewelry

When jewelry is crafted, black pearls are placed together according to similarities in such qualities as their hues and iridescence,  namely in jewellery with many pearls stringed together, such as black pearl necklaces.  

Black pearl necklaces are made in a wide array of shapes, hues and styles, and are uniquely stylish and wonderful to behold. Such necklaces from the South Seas are in high demand in jewellery market, with prices to match.  Black pearl necklaces are made in various shapes and sizes.

Black pearl rings, are highly attractive with the use of a  single dark pearl. Black pearl earrings are uniquely beautiful.

How Are Black Pearls Created?

The process by which oysters create black pearls is essentially when grit has gotten into their shells and the pearl is formed as a defensive mechanism.

Price

Highly valued or their mysterious and exotic appearance, a single black pearl fetches a high price – US$250- US$1000 for smaller pearls. Those with a greenish shade are more in demand, thus more expensive, than their grayish counterparts. 

With more cultivation of production of black pearls, they are becoming more affordable than in the past.