More About The Tahitian Pearls

The Tahitian Pearls are most popularly known as the Black Pearls in most countries

. This type is mostly found in the South Pacific Ocean especially near French Polynesia and the Tahiti Islands. The Tahitian variety is obtained from the black lipped oysters whose scientific name is Pinctada margaritifera. The cultivation of these black gems from the black lipped oysters is not that easy which makes it slightly expensive than most other varieties of pearls. These oysters are very sensitive and susceptible to perishing.

Here is the brief information about rearing of this type of gem from the black lipped oysters. The black lipped oysters that live in the corals of French Polynesia lagoons breeds during certain time of the year, i.e. produces spawn. These spawns are fertilized under water to give rise to the baby oysters. The baby oysters are known as spat. The spat then fix to the corals. The spat are then collected and are reared underwater in order to ensure that they are in the best health conditions. Matured oysters are then grafted with the "mother-of-pearl"(It is nothing but a small round structure) into the body of the oysters using surgical methods. This causes the secretion of "nacre", a composite material produced by these oysters that influence the formation of the black pearl.

The oysters are left as such for several years so that many layers of nacre are deposited on the grafted structure. The oysters, when matured are opened to remove the pearl from it. The oysters are then let into the lagoons once again for recuperation. The most difficult part in the raising process is the fact that only twenty to thirty percent of the oysters develop pearls in the stipulated time, i.e. if hundred oysters are nucleated; only a maximum of thirty oysters would produce perfect Tahiti gems.

One thing to be noticed here is the fact about structure that is grafted into the black lipped oysters. Actually the inner surface of the shell of the oysters is normally called the "mother-of-pearl" and continuous deposition of nacre secretion into this layer results in formation of natural Tahitian black pearls. The secretion of the nacre substance is the most important factor that decides the quality of these gems. In certain oysters, the secretion could be lower than normal; hence if surgical grafting of the nucleus of the oyster is done in them, it could enhance the secretion levels of nacre. The gems produced in such fashion are called cultured gems.

Not all gems produced from black lipped oysters could be called Tahitian pearls. There are certain quality parameters specific about these which make it the undisputed queen of pearls. The degree of nacre layer deposition onto the grafted structure decides the quality. The surface should be covered with at least 80% of nacre substance and the underlying mother-of-pearl should not be visible. The Tahitian gems are slightly larger than other varieties available in the market.

by: Robert Fogarty

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