Pearls De Tahiti | Black Pearl | Tahitian Black Pearls and Coloration

The old idea of dew formation prevails… it was said that white pearls were formed in fair weather, and the dark ones in cloudy weather. It was also considered that the color was influenced by the depth of the water in which they grew; deep water making them white, shallow waters where the sunlight easily penetrated, the pearls were more likely to be darker in color.

It was explained that the black pearls of Panama and Mexico had their color because of the black mud in which the pearl-oysters of those localities lived, and that Persian Gulf pearls were more inclined to yellow than those of Ceylon, because of a greater petrifaction of the flesh before they were removed.

Two centuries ago the color of a pearl was because of the central nucleus, and it was concluded that if the nucleum was dark, the pearl would be a similar hue. This theory in black pearl history has also been found to be the opposite…

Usually the pearl color is determined by that of the conchiolin, as appears from its remaining unchanged after decalcification. The reasons for the varying colors are probably in the changes in position of the pearl, the ingredients of the water, the health of the mollusk.