The wonderful color of black pearls… where does this color come from?
Black pearls come from a Black Lipped Oyster (Pinctada Margaritifera) . Since their shell is black, these oysters can produce black pearls. Pearls are made of the same shell-making material that mollusks use to grow their shell. But, of course, Tahitian black pearl farmers want to optimize the color of their pearls. There are certain colors of black pearls that are more attractive to the market. So, by capitalizing on the great color of the donor oyster’s shell, the graft tissue is carefully selected in hopes of producing a really great color of black pearls.
Here is the important this to know: Black pearls are not always black! They have a variety of colors and hues. It is impossible to capture the back color without the subtle influence of green, gray, magenta or more. So don’t be fooled if you see a colorful strand of Tahitian black pearls. They care a lot of colorful tones in them as well! We will call these the wonderful colors of black pearls!
Learn more by watching this video, filmed at a Tahitian black pearl farm in French Polynesia.
I am a modern day treasure hunter who travels the world for gorgeous pearls and amazing adventures. I own a pearl jewelry and jewelry repair business, ThePearlGirls.com, with a cute retail store in Athens, GA. I also have a Pearl Travel business and travel blog at TheWorldofPearl.com.
