A pearl necklace combines the special splendor of nature with mankind's ability to create his own art. From the 18th Century on a pearl necklace or bracelet has been one of the most desirable items of jewelry for European Royalty and Aristocrats. Pearl jewelry is often seen in Royal portraiture. Recently, colored pearls have become more popular. Tahitian Black pearls, specifically, have witnessed a rise in popularity in recent years. Although they contain the word "black" in their name, they can come in a variety of colors, such as the following:
- Completely black, which is extremely rare
- Silver
- Gunmetal
- Charcoal
- A multitude of other colors, including, peacock green and aubergine
Black pearl jewelry, as well as that made with Golden South Sea pearls, is widely recognized as some of the most amazing jewelry around. The cultivation method is what creates these vivid colors.
Although we may think of this type of jewelry as timeless, it is actually relatively new. Tahitian black pearls were only popularized in the early 1900s, by Tahitian born Robert Wan. They are produced by the Black Lipped Oyster, and grown primarily in French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, the Micronesian Islands, and, to a lesser extent in Japan, Thailand and the Philippines. Other Golden South Sea pearls are cultivated further south, in Australia and New Zealand. They are grown in the aptly named Gold Lipped Oyster. The South Seas contain some of the cleanest saltwater on the planet, and it is filled with plankton, which oysters feed on. This clean water and abundant food supply allow for the oysters to create pearls of larger sizes. They also have a longer cultivation period, as they are harvested after a minimum of two years of pearl growth.
