TAHITIAN PEARLS

Tahitian cultured pearls offer a dramatic touch. The natural black color of these pearls comes from the color of the oyster's black lips.

These pearls are traditionally called "black," but their color can range from a metallic silver, to the color of graphite. And within this range of colors they can have bluish, purplish, or greenish overtones.

Tahitian cultured pearls are cultivated from the black-lipped variety of the pinctada maxima oyster which reaches a foot or more in diameter, and produces very large pearls. This oyster is very sensitive to the pearl culturing process, which makes the pearls very costly to produce. A gift of Tahitian cultured pearls makes an extraordinary, unique gift.

	Tahitian Cultured Pearls
LUSTRE	Very High - High, bright reflections
SURFACE	Very Slightly Spotted - Few visible blemishes on some pearls
NACRE	Medium - Medium nacre coating
SHAPE	Slightly Off Round - Some pearls may be slightly less round and symmetrica
COLOUR	Black to Dark Grey - With some green and/or purple overtone