What is the difference between South Sea and Tahitian pearls?

South Sea pearls are naturally delicate pastel in hue and color. They range from being soft white to creamy champagne and pink. Tahitian peals, on the different side of the spectrum, are bold and dramatic, since the natural color is black. Tahitians are very rare.

Is Tahitian pearl South Sea pearl?

Exotic South Sea pearls from the Black-lipped oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, are more commonly known as Tahitian South Sea pearls. These pearls are often referred to as black but have a remarkable colour range that covers the spectrum from light, creamy white and grey, to regal greens, aubergines and deep blacks.

What color of pearl is the most valuable?

The larger size makes South Sea pearls and black pearls the most valuable type of pearl. On Mikimoto's website, this strand of South Sea cultured pearls is selling for $32,000. The other notable difference between pearl types is the color.

Which type of pearl is best?

White South Sea and Golden South Sea pearls are the most sought-after cultured versions of the gems in the world. That's because they are the rarest, and offer the most luster and greatest pearls sizes. Both Golden South Sea and White South Sea pearls are cultivated in saltwater.

Are Tahitian pearls more expensive?

Tahitian pearls are considered to be the second most valuable commercially farmed pearls in the world. Unlike black freshwater and black akoya pearls, which have been irradiated or dyed, Tahitians come by their dark color naturally.

Different Qualities and Colors of Tahitian South Sea Pearl

What color Tahitian pearl is most valuable?

#2 - "Black" Tahitian pearls aren't actually black

Traditionally the most sought after(expensive) Tahitian pearls will have a dark green body color and peacock(think oil slick) overtones. *It's important to note that Tahitian pearls are the only naturally "black" pearls.

Are Tahitian pearls worth buying?

They are still the pearls with the most intrigue and value, but the pearl farming market has brought them down in rank in terms of rarity and value. Tahitian pearls are now affordable to a much wider demographic. They are absolutely worth buying if the black pearl look is what you desire and you can afford it.

Is South Sea pearl a good investment?

Investing in South Sea Pearls

They may be more expensive than other pearls, but their quality and incredible value make them a good investment. If you take care of your pearls, and repair and restring them when needed, these pearls could be passed on for many generations.

What is the best color of South Sea pearl?

The overall value of these pearls is higher than akoya or Tahitian, and very comparable to white South Sea pearls. The deepest golden color, often referred to as 24 karat, is considered the most valuable color of all South Sea pearls.

What is a South Sea pearl?

South Sea pearls are cultured using a large, white-lipped oyster, hand-selected from the waters of the South Pacific. The oyster is about twice the size of the Akoya pearl oyster and produces much larger pearls. These luxurious pearls are cultured in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Japan and Thailand.

Are South Sea pearls expensive?

South Sea pearls are considered the most valuable. They are also the largest pearl variety on the market. A strand of South Sea pearls can range from $1,000 to over $100,000.

How can you tell a South Sea pearl?

How To Identify South Sea Pearls. The main identifier for South Sea pearls is their size. They are larger than any other pearls because they are grown in the largest genus of oyster, the Pinctada Maxima. Their size usually ranges from 8-20mm, although they can grow much larger if they are given more time.

Which country pearl is best?

China is the leading source for freshwater cultured pearls. Cultured pearls from Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar, are grown in the Pinctada Maxima mollusk.

What are the two major types of pearl?

There are two primary shape categories that all pearls fall into: traditional and baroque. Traditional pearls are round while baroque pearls are virtually anything else. Some prefer baroque pearls for their unique shapes, although traditional pearls are generally more valuable.

What is the difference between Akoya and South Sea pearls?

South Sea Pearls of 9.5 – 10.5 mm sizes are more common. But the smaller Akoya oyster has a hard time producing a pearl as large as 9.5 – 10.5 mm, making these pearls much rarer, hence the higher price. Akoya Pearls are preferred for someone wanting a bright white/pink lustrous strand in this “overlap” size range.

What is so special about South Sea pearls?

South Sea pearls are generally much larger than other pearl types and have a unique luster quality – a soft reflection due to the large aragonite platelets that make up the pearl. They also have the thickest average nacre of all cultured pearls. These factors make South Seas both distinctive and valuable.

Do South Sea pearls have flaws?

Damaging and Non-Damaging Blemishes

It's important to remember that some blemishes won't detract from the beauty or value of a pearl, and this is particularly true with South Sea pearls. That's because it takes these pearls 2 to 3 years to develop, and flawless or slightly flawed South Sea pearls are extremely rare.

Why is South Sea pearl so expensive?

Because South Sea Pearls form over longer periods of time, they are more costly to cultivate. For this reason, there are a limited number of South Sea pearl farms, making the truly prized South Seas exceptionally rare. Not all cultured pearls are good enough to become Assael pearls.

What is the best color for Tahitian pearls?

The most highly prized Tahitian pearls are those with iridescent peacock and cobalt blue colors. In addition to peacock pearls, rainbows, grays and golds are also incredibly popular.

How do you pick a Tahitian pearl?

The value of a Tahitian pearl depends on several criteria as such as its color, size, number of imperfections, the brightness of its shine and the thickness of its mother-of-pearl. A black pearl, which has no imperfection on the surface, is more expensive than one with imperfections.

Can Tahitian pearls get wet?

If possible, store them wrapped in a soft cloth or in a soft-lined container, pouch, or jewelry box, but not in an airtight container because the pearls need to "breathe". It is strongly recommended not to get your pearls wet by either showering or swimming (ocean, swimming pool or Jacuzzi hot tubs).

What distinguishes Tahitian pearls from other pearls?

They are distinguished by the marked contrast between the surface colour and the brightness in depth (orient), shades of blue, blue-green, violet and green-pink. This green-pink orient, called "peacock", is the rarest and most expensive. Tahitian pearls grow in sea water for 4 to 5 years.

What is good quality Tahitian pearl?

Tahitian Pearl Grading

Pure Pearls uses the 'A-AAAA' Grading Scale for all Tahitian pearl jewelry. On the A-AAAA Scale, 'A' represents the lowest, commercial grades, and 'AAAA' represents the best pearl quality available.

What makes a good Tahitian pearl?

Description. Tahitian pearls come in a range of colors from white to black. They can contain various undertones and overtones of green, pink, blue, silver and yellow. The most valuable of these are of the darker variety, as the naturally dark tones of the Tahitian pearls is a unique quality among pearls.