Choose your pearl
How to choose your pearl
If you want to buy a Tahitian Cultured pearl, you will need to consider the 5 official characteristics that determine the Tahitian Cultured pearl
Good to know
Not all pearls are created equal, and it is important to consider their size, color, and surface condition before purchasing a piece of jewelry.
Surface : Quality
The pearl’s surface condition is assessed with the naked eye. Natural inclusions are the little scratched, layers, we see on its surface. They are made by little pieces of sand or rocks which get inside the oyster during the 2 years process of nacre secretion.
A perfectly smooth surface without imperfection is exceptional.
The classification range is up to 5 categories:
Top Gem, A, B, C and D
Also it is not uncommon to find the qualities listed below
Top Gem – AAA – AA – A and A +
The color
The color does not constitute any value criteria Tahitian. Cultured Pearls are available naturally in an extensive range of colors.
Indeed the Tahitian Cultured Pearl is the most colorful pearl in the world and Its color is 100% natural.
Its range of colors can be from cherry to peacock, pistachio to golden, gray to white and very rarely black …
We usually propose a pearl color which is related to your eyes color. It is the nucleon (The Oyster Black Lip) which is melting inside the pearl during the nacre secretion. The process last 2 years. The pearl may have extraordinary colors declining to infinity: Pink, Turquoise, Pistachio, Peacok, Green Lagon, Blue Pacifique.
The shape
There are three basic shapes: Round (perfect sphere)
Semi-Baroque (Drop, Oval, Buttons, Circled) and Baroque (Asymmetrical).
The size
The size corresponds to the diameter of the pearl and it is measured in millimeters.
The diameter of the Tahitian cultured pearl can vary between 8 mm and 16 mm. Pearl from 14mm are very rare so very expensive. Just a few can afford it
The largest pearl ever found is held by The Museum of the Pearl in Papeete, Tahiti (21.5 mm)
The luster
The Luster is the way the pearl is shining. It is how the light hits the surface of the pearl. We call it the Mirror Effect.
More the pearl shines more the pearl has a high mother of pearl thickness.
Le Service de la Perliculture (attached to the Ministry of the Sea) will reject all pearls with a low luster