Black Tahitian Pearl, Cultured, 14K Gold Cap & Enhancer on Pearl Strand with

Artisan Jewelry : Necklaces : Tahitian Aubergine Pearl, 14k Gold Enhancer

 

Tahitian families grow pearls at the edge of their back yards. They live on small inherited lots right next to the ocean (remarkably calmed by the outer reefs). They put black-lipped oysters into barrels and sink them into the water where they feast on all the ocean nutrients that float by and they build layers of nacre over their nuclei. At harvest time, the Tahitians thank the oysters for their wonderful life-giving service. They waste nothing, they eat the meat, carve the shells into keychains, and sell the pearls to shops, traders, and jewelry makers like me. I trekked all around the islands on foot and bicycle, visited every pearl farm, selected the pearls I wanted and established an ongoing supply chain. Tahitians tell sagas of their ancestors who used to dive to get the oysters when they lived wild in the reefs. It was very dangerous. Most of the pearls are black. Technically they are all "black" pearls because they come from black lipped oysters, but a fraction of them form other hues in their outer layers (silver, rainbow, green, aubergine, peacock, pink, robin's egg blue, and gold). I even brought back one that is such pale silver it looks white, silvery white, not iridescent white like Akoya pearls. The pearls are graded according to size, color, shape (pearls may come out perfectly round or lumpy and funny-looking, slightly baroque, or anything in between); flawlessness (some have rings around, some have creases or dents), and lustre (some glow from the inside out, some are dull). This pearl is in the large category (14 mm), aubergine, considered flawless although there are several tiny natural dents barely visible. It has such deep luster that I could see the reflection of my camera in the pearl as I was photographing it. I made a 14K gold top with post to fit this pearl, drilled the pearl, and attached it. I added a 14K gold enhancer so that it could be latched securely over a strand of pearls. I made the strand of white pearls that is included with it. I used faceted cultured white pearls with vermeil spacers and clasp. It's a comfortable 18 1/2 inches long.

Item ID: P10