Black pearl

The Tahitian blackpearl is a special type of pearl that is found in the waters of the lagoons of the five island groups of French Polynesia. Even before Europeans discovered Tahiti and its islands, the black pearl, known as Poe Rava in Tahitian, had earned fame and prestige in Europe for its rarity. Tahitian pearls were known as the ‘Pearls of Queens’ and the ‘Queen of Pearls’.

History

Black pearls were an excellent trading tool for Polynesians for European products, as the islanders valued the pearl-bearing shells of the mussels more than the pearls growing inside them. Today, pearls are valued differently and have become the Polynesian archipelago’s biggest export and main livelihood, alongside tourism. 98% of pearls are grown on plantations in the Tuamotu archipelago, but there are also plantations in Tahiti and Bora Bora. The state closely controls the cultivation, sale and export of pearls.

Colours

Although we are talking about Tahitian black pearls, the colours of the pearls vary. The pearls are said to reflect the islands’ own colours, the turquoise of the sea, the green of the plants and the blue of the sky. If a pearl has white dots, they indicate the white sand of the beaches. Some beads can also be simply grey, green, turquoise or even pink, although black-speaking beads are the most common. According to residents, there are no black pearls, but they all reflect the above colours. The colour of a pearl does not affect its value; the value of the colour is in the eye of the beholder.

Price formation of beads

The value of a pearl is determined by its size, shape and surface. The size of a bead is measured in millimetres. Black pearls for sale are normally between 7 and 13 mm in diameter, but the largest pearls can be up to 20 mm in diameter. The largest perfectly round and lustrous black pearl, the Robert Wan Pearl, is 20.92 mm in diameter. The smallest black pearl allowed for sale is 0.8 mm in diameter. A pearl of this size must have been growing in the shell for at least 18 months. It takes years for pearls to grow to more than 10 mm in diameter.

Forms

There are four basic shapes of black beads. The diameter of a perfectly round (R) bead may vary by up to 2% measured at any point. In a semi-circular (SR) bead, this variation may not exceed 5%, between the maximum and minimum diameters. Beads may also be drop (DR) or oval (OV) shaped. The fourth category is button beads (BT). Other shapes are also classified, but the above are the most common. Baroque beads (BQ) make unique jewellery, with asymmetrical and colourful beads.

Quality

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The quality of the surface of the pearl is checked visually. The condition of the surface and the lustre of the pearl are essential to its value. The better the surface, the more perfectly the pearl shines and the more valuable the pearl is. There are four categories. In category A, at least 90% of the surface must be perfect. One small imperfection is acceptable, although the pearl must be very lustrous. In category B, the surface must be 70% perfect and two imperfections are accepted, and it is sufficient that the pearl is lustrous. In category C, only 40% of the surface must be perfect and the lustre of the pearl must be medium. In the last category D, considerable imperfections and even white dots are accepted and the pearl does not need to have much lustre. Some Tahitian bead shops also use their own grading system, especially for the best, perfect beads.

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