Black Tahitian pearls are produced by the black-lipped oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) in the islands of French Polynesia. The oyster itself is quite large -- sometimes up to 12 inches across and weighing as much as 10 pounds -- which often results in much larger-than-average pearls. The pearls are unique because of their natural dark colors. Most "black" Tahitian pearls are not actually black, but are instead gray, silver, charcoal, or similar shades. Truly black pearls are extremely rare.

The black-lipped oyster's mother-of-pearl inner shell is also extremely attractive. Indeed, by the early part of the 20th century, before conservation and repopulation efforts began, the oyster had almost been hunted to extinction for its shell alone.

Although Tahitian pearls are thought my many to be a product of Tahiti this is in fact not true. Tahiti is the commercial center and trading hub for the bulk of the industry, however Tahiti does not have any pearl farms located on the island. The farms are instead scatted throughout French Polynesia, as far east as the Gambier Islands, and beyond French Polynesia to the west into the Micronesian Islands.

Tahitian pearl farming has much later commercial origins than its other cultured pearl cousins. In the early 1960's a man by the name of Jean-Marie Domard began experimenting with the Pinctada margaritifera using Japanese culturing techniques. In 1962 Mr. Domard successfully nucleated 5000 oysters, and after 3 years harvested more than 1000 high-quality Tahitian pearls.

In an attempt to capitalize on this success, two brothers from the Manihi Atoll founded French Polynesia first Tahitian pearl farm just a year after Mr. Domard's harvest. They started with the easier-to-cultivate mabe pearls for the first two years, and then switched entirely to spherical cultured pearls in 1968.

Bringing Tahitian Pearls to the World Market