Feature Gems & Gemology, Fall 1989, Vol. 25, No. 3

Polynesian Black Pearls


The 1980s have seen an explosion of interest in the cultured black pearls of French Polynesia, five groups of island archipelagos in the South Pacific. Twenty years ago, black pearls were a mere curiosity appreciated by a handful of people. Today, cultured black pearls, often called Tahitian pearls or Tahitian cultured pearls, can be found in fine jewelry stores throughout the world.