Made in the crystalline waters of the French Polynesia, Tahitian pearls are a unique phenomenon representing harmony between man and nature.
They are cultivated in the sea and made by the Pinctada Margaritifera oyster, also known as the black-lip pearl oyster.
Tahitian pearls are special due to their large range of iridescent colours – ranging from shades of green, brown, violet, grey, and gold, with black being their most characteristic colour. Thanks to the unpolluted and plankton-filled waters of the southern seas these pearls boast a magnificent shine.
Just by looking at them, it is difficult to imagine the long process that sea cultured pearls go through in order to become the product you see today. Only after the oyster has reached three years of age does the work begin.
In a transformation made possible by highly experienced technicians, the lip, or epithelium, of a donor oyster is introduced, as is a nucleus made out of the shell of a mollusc from the Mississippi.
During the first insertion, the size of the pearl varies from 8mm to 11mm, reaching up to 20mm in those conducted after that. It is also possible to see keshis, small pearls created due to a premature rejection of the nucleus, similar to how pearls are naturally created. One oyster can produce up to 5 pearls, one at a time and each one taking at least 18 months to form. Due to this its coat of nacre is incredibly thick, ranging from 0.8mm up to 6mm, favouring a brilliant lustre and durability.
The family farm CHAMPON are our direct providers, situated south in the island of Taha’a, part of the Society Isles. It is a seasonal farm meaning they do not produce all year round, leaving oysters to rest during the coldest months so as to achieve better quality produce. Due to part of the family being marine biologists they care deeply about their environmental impact, completing the whole process by themselves from scratch – such as breeding baby oysters in order to have better control over the quantity produced, leaving enough time and space for each oyster and giving them outstanding care at all times. It is thanks to this that they are famed in their country and enjoy an exclusive quality in their product.
