History of the Tahitian pearl
The history of the Tahitian cultured pearl is closely linked to that of a certain Jean-Marie Domard, a veterinary doctor. Born in 1927, he applied in 1956 to the Ministry of Overseas France to save the "Pinctada margaritifera" and work to repopulate the pearl lagoons of Tahiti. Over the next ten years, fish and pearl farming in French Polynesia changed permanently. Domard began by establishing regulations for fishing plans, limiting the periods of pearl diving, setting up cooperatives for fishermen and even creating a school for divers. He then continued his mission by carrying out an audit of the pearl beds in the territory between 1958 and 1959, the report of which he published in 1962. He published his report in 1962. It shows that although the great pearl oyster is present in many islands, its deposits are sufficiently important to be exploited commercially only in about twenty atolls of the Tuamotu, in two atolls of the Leeward Islands, and in Mangareva. He thus classified the lagoons according to their production importance, and stopped this classification at 27 islands and atolls. From these observations, Domard decided to set up state-owned farms in order to preserve the species: nearly 55,000 pintadines were thus placed in farms; in 1960, no less than 120,000 were cultivated on the Hikueru atoll! In order to solve the problem of theft, which was becoming more and more widespread, it was decided to breed nacres pierced with a strand of nylon: pierced in this way, the valves bore an indelible mark, making their trade prohibited.
The challenge of the survival of the species being now on the right track, Domard concentrated from 1961 on his greatest dream: the first pearl oyster grafts in Polynesia. These took place in the Hikueru lagoon, and were carried out by the Japanese grafter Churoku Moroi - the Japanese were already renowned for their know-how in this field.
Grafting technique
After harvesting the spat from the fertilization process in open water, the pearl farmers carefully separate the tiny pearls and place them in small individual nets to protect them from predators. For three years, they carefully monitor the quality and temperature of the water, and clean them regularly so that they develop harmoniously. When the oysters have reached maturity, they are ready for grafting.
A very healthy oyster is then selected: it will become the donor oyster. Its mother-of-pearl producing mantle is cut into about fifty small strips called "grafts". The recipient oysters are grafted one by one with pliers and scalpel, by professionals paid at a high price. More and more often, they are now Polynesians or Chinese, who manage to acquire the know-how of Japanese masters. A small incision is made in the reproductive organ of the oyster; the graft and the nucleus, a perfectly spherical ball produced from a mollusk fished in the Mississippi river, are placed there. The size of the nucleus chosen by the grafter varies according to the space offered by the gonad (genital organ of the oyster). It is thus a real surgical operation, which lasts only a few seconds, and to which the majority of the oysters do not survive. Immersed again, the oyster secretes its nacre at a rate of one millimeter per year. Regularly cleaned and controlled, it is opened for the first harvest after a year and a half (or longer if the pearl farmer wishes). During a harvest, only 2% of the oysters give a beautiful pearl; the rejects constitute a huge part of the production, and are forbidden to the marketing.
A second graft is only possible if the first pearl is of good quality, because as the pearl oyster ages, it will produce a less and less beautiful nacre.
Pearl farming and its economy
The Tahitian pearl, produced in French Polynesia and nowhere else, is the second largest source of income for French Polynesia. Today, this sector is not as buoyant as it used to be (competition is strong with Australian, Indonesian, Japanese and Chinese productions), and the pandemic has put the pearl farming sector in pain. Since 2019, export revenues are divided by two and today there is a shortage of grafters. Indeed, the Chinese grafters who were blocked in their country because of the health crisis has caused a decline in production.
In Polynesia, pearl product exports are divided into three categories: raw cultured pearls, which account for about 98% of revenues, pearl works (processed products), which account for 1.5% of revenues, and keishis, mabe and other dyed raw cultured pearls, which account for the remaining 0.5%. In other words, Polynesia's importance in the worked pearl jewelry sector is almost nil, so this jewelry market should be developed to get a "bigger piece of the pie."
To remain competitive in the market, producers must be increasingly efficient and constantly adapt their production capacity. This condition is not without concern for the owners of small pearl farms, who are in danger of being absorbed by the large producers. Several have closed in recent years.
To counter this delicate economic reality, or at least to try to prevent it as much as possible, several measures such as the creation of Economic Interest Groups (EIGs), the implementation of trade regulations and the official classification of Tahitian pearls, are encouraging actions.
Buying guide and official classification
The Tahitian cultured pearl, formerly known as the "black pearl", is one of the rare organic gems on a par with coral and ivory. The official designation "Tahiti Cultured Pearl" is reserved for pearls grafted from the Pinctada margaritifera (variety cumingui) or "black-lipped oyster", cultivated in French Polynesia. You can admire this culture at the Musée de la Perle Robert Wan in Papeete, the Champon pearl farm in Taha'a and Vairua Perles in Raiatea, among others.
The official classification of Tahitian cultured pearls determines the price of a pearl according to 3 criteria: size, shape and surface quality. Certain rare hues also add value, as does the assortment of several pearls of the same color (for earrings or a necklace).
When it comes to size, pearl diameters are expressed in millimeters. It generally varies between 8 and 16 mm, with exceptions up to 20 mm and beyond; the price increases every half-millimeter.
There are also several categories of shape:
Round: perfect sphere or similar, with less than 2% variation in diameter.
Semi-round : slightly deformed sphere, with a diameter variation rate greater than 2% but less than 5%.
Drop, pear, oval, button: pearls that all have at least one axis of symmetry, and whose shapes are reminiscent of a drop, oval, etc.
Semi-baroque: pearls with at least one axis of revolution. It lies at the crossroads, being neither goutte nor baroque.
Baroque: irregular pearl that does not fall into the above categories. Generally without an axis of symmetry.
Hooped: a hooped pearl is characterized by the presence of at least one concentric circle located beyond the upper or lower third of the pearl, whatever its shape. Pearls with colored rings are not considered hooped.
Finally, the surface category is determined by the combination of two physical characteristics: surface condition and luster intensity. The pearl must present a pearly layer at least 0.8 mm thick, continuous over at least 80% of the surface, and must not reveal the nucleus, even by transparency. Grading ranges from category "A" (pearl with no imperfections, excellent luster) to category "D" (pearl with low luster and slight imperfections over more than 60% of its surface, with a tolerance of no more than 20% deep imperfections and/or white pitting). Excellent luster corresponds to total reflection of light, giving it a mirror-like effect. On the other hand, a pearl without luster has a matte appearance. On close examination, the level of perfection and luster are easily identifiable to the naked eye. Some colors stand out best on fair skin, others on duller skin. It's a good idea to try pearls on in daylight to determine which color suits you best, but also to identify surface imperfections and luster levels, and to better appreciate the beauty of your future pearl.
Any product that doesn't meet these criteria is considered to be scrap and is not allowed to be sold. But while grading is a precise tool, it is unfortunately not taught to pearl sellers, nor is its application monitored by local authorities. It can therefore be interpreted differently on each pearl farm and, a fortiori, in each store. And since the price depends on this evaluation, the same pearl may be appraised differently from one store to another, depending on the owner's experience and professional ethics. So use your observation, patience and curiosity to find the pearl of your dreams at an appropriate and reasonable price.
Maintain your pearl
Now that you've "fallen for" this jewel on your visit to Rangiroa, for example, at Guauguin's Pearl, or to Moorea at Pearl Romance, it's time to take good care of it. Remember that pearls are materials produced by living organisms, and are made up of calcium carbonate crystals that are sensitive to acids. As a result, pearls don't have the same hardness as precious stones. To protect them, avoid putting them in direct contact with other jewels that could scratch them; also avoid contact with detergents or acid products such as hairspray or perfume. Another basic rule of care is not to sleep or bathe with your pearls on. When putting them away, get into the habit of cleaning gold- or silver-mounted pearls with a soft cloth. You can also wash them with water and a little neutral liquid soap, taking care to rinse them well, dry them and then polish them with a microfiber or chamois. Of course, you can also entrust them to your jeweller for a little maintenance..
