Only one type of oyster in the world creates the rare Tahitian pearl, the black-lipped oyster of French Polynesia. Because the color of the host shell influences the color of the pearl, these rare black oysters found in the temperate, turquoise waters of the Tuamotu lagoons create the darkest and most lustrous of pearls, sometimes with undertones of green, silver, blue, yellow, and even pink. Polynesian divers first discovered the pearls when free diving to 130 feet in search of shells to make buttons.
Today, expert grafters on cooperative pearl farms cultivate the pearls by seeding the oysters with the tiny bead of a mollusk shell, made of tissue and the mineral aragonite. The pearl is formed when the oyster nourishes the irritation with a layer of nacre. It does this over and over until a pearl is formed. The nacre of most oysters is a glossy white, but the black-lipped oysters feature a thick band of black near the lip that colors the pearl if it forms close to the band. It takes two to three years for the black pearls to be ready for harvest, and even then, collectors must wait. The farmers only make Tahitian pearls available twice a year at limited auctions.
Called the “Queen of Pearls,” legend has it that Cartier bought his building on Avenue by selling a strand of them and that Queen Victoria wore them in mourning. The early Chinese believed that Tahitian pearls were a symbol of wisdom. Their legends said that they were formed in dragons’ heads, and then carried between the dragon’s teeth.
Because of the incredible process of self-nurturing that makes a pearl, Asian medicine has long used them to treat everything from eye ailments to heart disease. Energetically, pearls help calm and center. Tahitian pearls bring wealth and prosperity for individuals and businesses. Black pearls are strong protectors and should be worn to ward off negative energy and prevent accidents.