Black Pearls

Hi Dona. Maybe you could help me . I need about Black
Pearls, I’ve been looking everywhere for long time. I’m in the
business like you but in Israel. Thank you.
VIcky

As best I understand it, there are two major types of black
pearls on the market. Dyed cultured (from saltwater Akoya
oysters) pearls are available and recently I understand they
have a new treatment which is very stable and allows the luster
and color iridescence to show. These might be very good pearls
but with a less desirable color, so the black treatment improves
there value. The best quality ones are about the same price as
good white pearls. You must disclose the treatment to your
customer if you sell these. I also have seen some dyed
freshwater pearls in a black color but didn’t like them and they
don’t seem to have any popularity in fine jewelry.

The other very popular Black pearl is from the large black
lipped Oyster in Tahiti and probably other parts of the South
Seas. It is a natural color pearl, quite large - most over 9mm

  • and much more expensive than the dyed Akoya. Good quality
    round black pearls could cost $150 - $300 each. You can also
    get nice off-round with a few blemishes for about $60 each. The
    colors cover a wide range from silver to gray to brownish black,
    golden colors and the generally most popular peacock-blue black.

These pearls are both very popular and readily available from
most cultured pearl suppliers and also companies who sell
directly from their farms in Tahiti.

Tom Kruskal

Vicky was asking for Black Pearls.

If I may, Vicky? I am the webmaster for Tahiti Perles. You might
find our website at http://www.tahitiperles.com of use.

Also, the official website of the GIE Perles de Tahiti (a
non-profit cooperative venture between Tahitian pearl producers
and the Tahitian government for the promotion of black pearls) is
http://www.tahiti-blackpearls.com.

Please feel free to write to me if you require more specific

Kat Tanaka
webmaster@tahitiperles.com

I was wondering if any one has seen large round black pearls (9mm+)
coming out of china. Regards J Morley Coyote Ridge Studio

  I was wondering if any one has seen large round  black pearls
(9mm+) coming out of china. 

If they are, chances are close to 100% that they’re color enhanced
(dyed, irradiated or heat-treated). Black pearls are produced by the
black-lipped oyster which lives in salt, not fresh, water. I guess
it’s possible that the Chinese are producing salt-water pearls but
they are certainly known primarily for fresh water production. There
are, however, natural color, black pearls coming out of Mexico that
are cultured off the coast. They are rare, very expensive and quite
beautiful, with a whole range of colors.

Beth

heard about large black chinese pearls recently but have yet to see
them. Frank Goss

Aloha Everyone, Yes, our company has seen very large (D) Peacock
pearls coming from China. There is “Tahitian Pearl” on the market
place. If one does not trust his or her source, any person can be
fooled. The newest thing is to take all the dust collected from
drilling the pearls, add an adhesive to mold it into a nice large 8
to 12mm Black or Dark Gray “Tahitian Pearls”. In one sense, people
who have been selling these say there is nothing wrong because the
dust residue is actually from a Tahitian Pearl, so they do not need
to disclose this fact. I have seen one that was made and one that
was real, and it sure looked the same to my naked eye. The largest
black pearls from China we have purchased was about 8mm, the coins
were anywhere from 8 to 10mm. The companies we deal with we know.
We have established a relationship with them but they do not come to
Hawaii frequently enough because the Wholesale Gem Shows are too
infrequent. I have a quandary, and need help. One of my relatives
purchased a beautiful gemstone from a TV show. It is called Ouro
Verde. It has a clean lemon/lime color. I have asked master
cutters, master jewelers, and wholesalers. Here is what I have
received to date: Since Triphan has a bit of green in it, it is
related to Kunzite. The next was when asked if it was a Beryl, the
answer was no, maybe a Mexican Fire Opal? I didn’t even know they
came in green. I have contacted the source where she purchased it,
and unless she can produce her receipt, they can’t tell her. So does
any person know what family “Ouro Verde” comes from? Take care
every one. P.S. WE DO NOT SOLDER NOR CAST. WE HAVE .999 FINE
SILVER 3/16 in. BETWEEN 5 TO 10 FT. I’ll have to measure and weigh
the gram weight. I have a proposition for any person who can bezel
set odd shaped rings. If the wire is worth it to any person who
would like to have it by trading: 2 bezel set .999 or .925 Silver
rings sizes 9 & 10, please let me know off line. I will give you the
full details of the metal and this trade of service for goods. Our
scanner is up and working. So this means we will be scanning images
of most gemstones we have for sale. Lab Alexandrite to A,B, & C
grade Amethysts to Topaz. We have many items. Too many to list, if
you would like a sales sheet and the scans let us know. We are
getting used to the scans. To those who asked about the Tanzanite,
Etched Images, and Opals and did not receive any data on this we
deeply apologize. When the wind storms hit this side of the island,
2 of our computers were fried and so did our other hardware.
If you are still interested please let us know. Much Aloha, Barbara HQCE

Watch out, most probably dyed. Some even got peacock colours,
beautiful stuff.

Tay
www.gem.com.sg

Check out faqs on Black Pearl at

http://www.blackpearlgemco.com/faq.htm

Sandeep Saxena India

  1. What is a “Tahitian Cultured Black Pearl”? A Tahitian Cultured
    Black Pearl is a pearl that is obtained by means of a grafting
    operation performed by a skilled technician on the “Pinctada
    Margaritifera” or “Black Lipped Oyster” of French Polynesia.

  2. Why are Tahitian Black Pearls “black”? “Black” Pearls are
    actually most often multicolored, with metallic steel gray being the
    most common color. The color of the pearls is entirely natural and
    is imparted by the oyster, which produces dark, multicolored
    mother-of-pearl secretions.

  3. Are there any natural Black Pearls? Natural (not cultured) black
    pearls still occur very rarely, about one in every 10,000 oysters.
    It is illegal to dive for oysters for the purpose of finding a
    natural pearl, since the natural stocks would quickly be depleted.

  4. How long does it take to culture a Black Pearl? From the grafting
    to the harvesting of a black pearl, a period of 18 to 24 months is
    necessary to achieve the desirable thickness (1.5 mm and up) of
    mother-of-pearl around the nucleus.

  5. Are black pearls only produced in Tahiti? The first Black Pearls
    were produced in French Polynesia in the mid-60’s long before any
    other neighboring island. However, the Cook Islands and Kiribati now
    produce about 3% of the world’s supply.

  6. Why are Black Pearls so much larger than white pearls? The oyster
    that produces the Tahitian Black Pearl can grow up to 12 inches in
    diameter (and weigh 10 lbs), as opposed to 3 inches for the “Akoya”
    oyster that produces white pearls, therefore allowing a larger
    nucleus to be implanted. Also, the cultivating time of a white pearl
    is only about 5 to 6 months.

  7. How are Black Pearls graded for surface quality? Black Pearls are
    graded for surface quality (independently of shape and size) using a
    scale from A to D. An “A Grade” pearl will have minor surface
    imperfections limited to less than 10% of the total surface; a “B
    grade”, less than one-third; a “C Grade”, less than two-thirds, and;
    a “D Grade” more than two-thirds of the Black Pearl’s surface will
    have such minor imperfections.

  8. Are there dyed Black Pearls? Yes, dyed Black Pearls exist, but
    you won’t find any in French Polynesia, since their importation and
    sale is illegal. Dyed pearls will lose their color over time.

  9. What are Keshi pearls? Keshi pearls are created naturally in
    most pearl-bearing oysters. They are usually formed by the
    unintended intrusion of material not inserted into the oyster by our
    trained technicians, such as sand or bits of shell. These types of
    pearls can be quite valuable. Keshi pearls are often referred to as
    “seed” or “poppy” pearls. The beauty of the Keshi comes from their
    wide variety of colors in a myriad of shapes. They possess both
    outstanding surface iridescence and exceptional luster.

  10. Are Tahitian Black Pearls more valuable than Akoya (white)
    pearls? Yes they are, due mainly to their rarity and high demand.