Tahitian Black Pearl - Choosing The Perfect

Exotic, rare and simply stunning. The Tahitian black pearl is coveted by women globally and used by jewelers to make some dazzling pieces of jewelry. From perfect spheres to semi round baroques and the unusual circle pearls – the Tahitian pearls come in various shapes, sizes and colors. The differentiation in shape and size can vary the cost of a strand of Tahitian pearls from an affordable $200 to an extravagant $4000! Tahitian pearl rings are also extremely popular with buyers as indicated by Yoshihito Tanaka, owner of My Hawaiian Jewelry.

Myhawaiianjewelry.com is an online store offering some gorgeous high-quality Tahitian pearl jewelry. While many clients hesitate to shop online, there are others who complain of having paid an exorbitant sum of money for lower quality Tahitian pearls. Mr. Tanaka says, “The lack of knowledge amongst customers about Tahitian pearls is a boon for unscrupulous jewelers. The best way to ensure that you always get what you pay for is to learn how to choose the perfect Tahitian pearls. There are several factors that influence the cost of a Tahitian pearl – the shape and size being just two of them. By spending a little time on reading up on Tahitian pearls customers can save themselves from being duped.”

Here are some tips from Myhawaiianjewelry.com on choosing the best Tahitian pearls.

1) Shape:
Perfectly rounded or spherical black pearls are the rarest and consequently the most expensive. Pear shaped pearls have a queue or point at one end while button shapes are half spheres with a flat bottom. Baroque Tahitian pearls are irregularly shaped and often the shape of the pearl inspires the design of the jewelry. Circled pearls are pearls that have single or multiple circles or furrows around the entire circle.

One thing to remember is that when jewelers set the pearls in earrings or rings they can often hide irregular shapes to look like round pearls. Hence, you can buy a cheaper pearl and yet get equally striking jewelry as you would by paying for a perfect sphere.

2) Size:
The size of the pearl does not have much relation to the quality of the pearl, but it does affect the cost considerably. Most Tahitian pearls range in the 8mm to 11mm diameter range and larger pearls are 12mm – 14mm in size. Pearls as large as 15mm – 18mm are extremely rare and very expensive.

3) Color:
Despite their name, Tahitian black pearls actually come in a wide variety of colors from deep black to pearly white. When selecting a color it is best to go with one that suits your skin tone and the piece of jewelry you intend to get crafted. It is also important to remember that no two pearls are of the exact same color. There will always be a tiny variation, which may not be visible to the naked eye. However, if a jeweler tries to sell you a Tahitian black pearl necklace with pearls of the ‘exact’ same color, you know that cannot be true.

4) Luster:
The luster of a pearl refers to the quality of light reflected from the surface of the pearl. Sharp, bright reflections are an indication of high luster and dull, diffused reflections are an indication of low luster. Luster is a function of preference. Natural pearls are generally low in luster and have a matte finish. For this reason many people prefer low luster cultured pearls. On the other hand the radiance of high luster pearls is something to behold.

5) Surface:
Think of the pearl as the moon. The more craters the surface of the pearl has the lower its quality. Again, clever jewelers can often hide blemishes and bumps or craters when setting the pearls so it might be to your benefit to buy a lower quality and set it carefully.

Once you are aware of the different qualities of Tahitian black pearls available, you can buy some Tahitian black pearl jewelry without fear of being swindled. Of course, the other option is to always go to a reputed and trustworthy jewelry shop like My Hawaiian Jewelry so you are guaranteed great quality and the best prices!