Tahitian pearls are produced by the black oyster in the South Pacific, ranging in shades of gray, bronze, black, and green. Most are cultured pearls, with natural black pearls being extremely rare. The process of pearl formation is the same for both natural and cultured pearls. Tahiti has no black pearl farms, but is the commercial center for the industry. The first cultivation of black pearls was credited to Kokichi Mikimoto in Okinawa, Japan, and Jean-Marie Domard established the first farm in French Polynesia in 1962.
The Tahitian pearl is a particular type of pearl-nucleated black pearl produced by the black oyster (Pinctada margaritifera), which can be found in the waters of the South Pacific, particularly in Tahiti and the islands of French Polynesia. Although commonly referred to as a black pearl, the color of a Tahitian pearl actually ranges from different shades of gray, bronze, black, and green. These natural dark colors give the pearl its exotic beauty. A truly black pearl exists, but it is extremely rare.
The black lipped oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) naturally secretes a black pigment that gives the Tahitian pearl its dark color. This mollusk can weigh up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and is also known for its ornamental shell. Most commercially available Tahitian pearls are cultured pearls, produced on pearl farms. Natural black pearls are so rare that only one pearl can be harvested from 2,000 pearl oysters. The International Confederation of Jewellery, Silverware, Diamonds, Pearls and Stones (CIBJO) officially defines natural pearls as those created without human intervention. Tahiti cultured pearls are produced by the black lipped pearl oyster grown in the lagoons of the Tuamotu-Gambier archipelago, a series of islands in French Polynesia.
The process involved in the formation of natural and cultured pearls is essentially the same. Pearl development begins when the oyster becomes irritated by the presence of a foreign particle such as a grain of sand or a piece of rock on its body. The oyster then employs its first line of defense, which consists of placing an iridescent substance called nacre, thus forming a pearl. In the case of cultured pearls, the irritant is inserted into the shellfish by the pearl producers themselves, while in natural pearls, the irritant enters the shellfish by accident. The quality of the pearl depends on the amount of mother-of-pearl. The thicker the nacre becomes, the higher value the pearl gets. The characteristics of the pearl, such as luster and color, depend on the characteristic of the mother-of-pearl itself. Similarly, a smooth surface means a higher quality pearl. A perfect quality round pearl with a diameter of 3.2 inches (18 mm) costs as much as $10,000 United States Dollars (USD).
Tahitian pearls are produced on pearl farms scattered throughout French Polynesia. Tahiti has no black pearl farms actually located on the island, but it is where the commercial center for most of the industry is, hence the name Tahiti pearl. Tahiti is 28 miles (45 km) at its widest and is also famous for its black beaches.
Kokichi Mikimoto is credited with the first cultivation of black pearls with the black lipped oyster at his pearl farm in Okinawa, Japan. The Mikimoto pearl farm was established in 1914. Jean-Marie Domard began farming the black lipped oyster to produce the Tahitian pearl in 1962. He established the first farm on the Hikuero atoll in the Tuamato Islands in French Polynesia.
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