Tahitian Pearl Earrings
Dark pearls with the color they grew. Every pair is matched from loose Tahitians at our bench in Los Angeles, which on a dark pearl is harder than it sounds, because overtone has to agree as well as size and shape. Studs, dangles and clip-ons for unpierced ears. Choose size, shape and style below.
Choosing Tahitian earrings
Four things decide how a pair wears and what it costs.
Size
Tahitian earrings run 8 to 12 mm, which is large by the standards of any other pearl. 9 to 10 mm is the everyday size. 11 mm and up is deliberate, and on a dark pearl large reads as confident rather than loud.
Shape
Round costs the most because the oyster rarely makes it. Drops and baroques are cheaper, larger for the money, and they move light around more. On earrings the movement is the point, so baroque is worth a serious look.
Overtone
We focus on medium-dark green and subtle peacock overtones for our Tahitian jewelry, which is what suits most people beside the face. If you have a particular overtone in mind, tell us and we will send photographs or video of two or three pairs so you can choose the one you are picturing.
Metal and backs
14K white or yellow gold, solid throughout, posts and backs included. Never gold-plated. Clip-ons are made for unpierced ears and use the same pearls as everything else here.
Before you buy
Is the dark color natural?
Yes. The black-lipped oyster lays the dark color down itself, so the body color and the overtone both belong to the pearl. Nothing here is dyed, tinted or irradiated.
How closely are the two pearls matched?
We match to within a tenth of a millimeter on size, and a pair also has to agree on shape, luster, surface and color. Finding two pearls that do can mean going through a great many, which is the whole reason we match at our own bench instead of buying pairs already made up. You should not be able to tell them apart at arm's length.
Do you have clip-ons for unpierced ears?
We do, and they use exactly the same pearls as the pierced pairs. Filter by Clip On above. If you want a design that is only shown with posts, ask us, because we can usually fit a clip back instead.
Will they match a Tahitian strand I already own?
We will get as close as we can, though we will not promise a perfect match to a strand already in your jewelry box, because we are matching to a photograph rather than to the pearls themselves. Send a picture in daylight if you can, and we will show you the closest pairs we have so you can judge for yourself.
Can you match these to a strand I am buying?
We already do. If you order earrings at the same time as a necklace, bracelet or pendant, we match the pearls to that piece before anything is set. You do not have to ask and there is no charge for it. On Tahitian this is worth more than on any other pearl, because matching overtone across two separate orders months apart is close to impossible.
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.
