Tahitian Pearls

KNOW YOUR TAHITIAN PEARLS

In Tahiti, the story is told of the god Oro, who long ago used his rainbows to visit Earth, giving mother-of-pearl its iridescence and Tahitian pearls their entrancing colors. And so it's true, that Tahitian pearls are not simply "black" as they're commonly called, but themselves rainbows of color that make them such prized possessions today.

Though it's true they take their name from French Polynesia's most well-known island, Tahitian pearls are in fact not cultivated in Tahiti, but elsewhere throughout the waters of French Polynesia, a collection of islands and atolls in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. Tahitian pearl's rich history helps explain their allure and ever-increasing demand in today’s market. With the European discovery of the Pacific Islands in the late 1700's came a rush of traders and explorers who soon learned of the water’s riches, among them: mother-of-pearl, turtle-shell, sandalwood, and of course, natural pearls. In time, the pearl oysters of two islands -- Gambier and Tuamotu -- quickly became depleted, nearly to the point of extinction. Indeed, Europe’s growing demand for mother-of-pearl buttons caused the exploitation of the islands’ oysters to last another 150 years.

Then, by 1880, France gained control of the island group we now refer to as French Polynesia, and some actions were taken. Strict regulations were applied to curtail the intense fishing among these islands, including zones designated as off-limits, to allow oyster beds to repopulate. This conservation plan has been in effect ever since, specifying the islands and atolls where fishing is permitted, causing divers and their families to quickly migrate to them for work.

In the mid-20th century, building on the successful pearl culturing techniques of Kokichi Mikimoto in Japan, experimentation began with the oyster that produces Tahitian pearls.

In fact, it was through the skillful efforts of Japanese cultivation experts that the oysters were first nucleated, and that finally produced some of the earliest Tahitian pearls that were cultured including The first thousand Tahitian cultured pearls were harvested in the mid-1960's that were suitable for pearl necklaces. Today, the atolls of French Polynesia -- coral crowns in the middle of a great ocean -- continue to provide the perfect nutritious, pristine environment necessary for Tahitian pearl cultivation.