Black Pearls
Black pearls, almost all of them Tahitian. Tahitian grows its dark color itself, and that color is never really black. It is aubergine, peacock, deep green, silver and steel grey, and the overtone is the whole point. Black freshwater and black akoya both exist, and both are always dyed. We say so wherever we sell them. Filter by type, piece and shape below.
Leaf Collection 9.0-10.0 mm Tahitian Pearl Earrings
Grace Collection 9.0-10.0 mm Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Pendant
Grace Collection 10.0-11.0 mm Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Pendant
7.5-8.0 mm AA+ Black Akoya Pearl Stud Earrings
10.0-11.0 mm Tahitian Pearl Hinge-Back Stud Earrings
Grace Collection 9.0-10.0 mm Tahitian Pearl Pendant
Grace Collection 10.0-11.0 mm Tahitian Pearl Pendant
11.2–12.6 mm AAA Round Tahitian Pearl Bracelet
Grace Collection 10.0-11.0 mm Tahitian Drop Pearl Pendant
56-Inch 10.0–11.0 mm AA+ Endless Baroque Tahitian Pearl Necklace
56-Inch 10.0–11.0 mm AA+/AAA Endless Baroque Tahitian Pearl Necklace
10.1–12.3 mm AAA Tahitian Oval to Drop Pearl Necklace
7.9–9.0 mm AA+ Tahitian Semi-baroque Pearl Necklace
10.0–11.0 mm AA+ Tahitian Baroque Pearl Necklace
10.1–10.9 mm AA+ Tahitian Baroque Pearl Necklace
10.2–11.0 mm AA+ Tahitian Baroque Pearl Necklace
9.2–11.7 mm AA+ Tahitian Drop Pearl Necklace
10.1–12.8 mm AAA Tahitian Round Pearl and Brown Diamond Necklace, 25 inches
13.0–15.8 mm AAA Tahitian Round Pearl and Diamond Necklace, 18.5 inches
12.0–14.0 mm AA+/AAA Dark Multicolor Tahitian Round Pearl Necklace
15.0–16.4 mm AAA Tahitian Round Pearl and Black Diamond Necklace, 27 inches
9.0–11.4 mm AA+/AAA Silver Pastel Multicolor Tahitian Round Pearl Necklace
9.0–11.4 mm AA+/AAA Pastel Multicolor Tahitian Round Pearl Necklace
12.2–13.2 mm AA+/AAA Multicolor Tahitian Semi-Baroque Pearl Necklace, 33.5 inches
Choosing a black pearl
Four things decide what you get and what it costs.
Tahitian
Dark color the oyster produces itself, grown in the black-lipped oyster of French Polynesia. Commonly 8 to 15 mm with thick, durable nacre. Everything you see here that is described as Tahitian is the oyster's own color, with nothing added.
Dyed black freshwater
Black does not occur in freshwater. Any black freshwater pearl anywhere in the world is dyed, ours included, and we label it that way rather than calling it exotic. It is a legitimate product at a legitimate price. It is simply not the same thing as a Tahitian and should never cost the same.
Overtone
This is what you are actually buying. Peacock is the most sought after, a green-to-magenta shift that moves as the pearl turns. Green is cleaner and cooler. Silver and steel read almost metallic. Aubergine is the deepest. Two strands at the same grade and size can differ wildly in price on overtone alone.
Shape
Round is rarest and prices accordingly. Baroque is a different pearl rather than a cheaper round one, runs larger for the money, and throws more light as it moves. Drop and circle are distinct looks in their own right. On a dark pearl, shape shows less than it does on a white one.
Before you buy
Are Tahitian pearls dyed?
No. The black-lipped oyster produces the color itself, which is what makes Tahitian unique among cultured pearls. Dyed dark pearls exist in the trade and tend to look flatly uniform with color concentrated in the drill holes. A natural Tahitian varies pearl to pearl and shifts color as it moves, which is exactly why matching a strand is so difficult.
What is the difference between a Tahitian and a black freshwater pearl?
Everything except the color on the label. A Tahitian grows dark naturally in a saltwater oyster over several years and carries thick nacre. A black freshwater pearl is a white or pastel pearl that has been dyed. We sell both and we price and describe them honestly. If a website is selling black pearls at a price that looks too good, dye is almost always the reason.
Why is every size range different on the strands?
Because each strand is measured from the actual pearls rather than rounded into a category. A strand listed at 10.1 to 12.8 mm really does run from 10.1 to 12.8 mm. It is less tidy than a rounded range, and it does mean you should read the range rather than the headline number.
Which overtone should I choose?
Peacock if you want the one people recognize and the one that moves most in the light. Green if you want something cleaner. Silver if you want the pearl to read cool and modern. Aubergine for the deepest look. None of this survives a screen honestly, so ask us to photograph the actual strand before you decide.
Will a dark pearl take daily wear?
Better than most. Tahitian carries thick nacre and is among the more durable pearls we sell. Put it on last after lotion and perfume, take it off before washing up or the gym, wipe it with a soft damp cloth now and then, and never use an ultrasonic cleaner.
Still deciding?
Our specialists will show you pearls on camera and talk you through what you are looking at. Most appointments run about twenty minutes.
