Tahitian pearls, also known as Black South Sea Pearls, are cherished for their incredibly exotic colors and mirror-like luster. Although they are commonly known as “Black Pearls,” Tahitian pearls actually consist of the widest spectrum of exotic colors of any pearl such as peacock green, silver green, blue, and eggplant colors just to name a few. These pearls are produced by the Pinctada Margaritifera oyster, which is found exclusively in Tahiti and several other French Polynesian islands.  All of our Tahitian pearls are 100% genuine Tahitian South Sea pearls, which have never been treated or “enhanced” in any way.    The Pearl Source is currently the online leader in Tahitian pearls, offering the largest and widest variety of Tahitian pearls products anywhere on the internet.

All Tahitian pearls purchased at The Pearl Source are imported, sorted, and graded exclusively by The Pearl Source at our facilities in Los Angeles, CA. Our stringent grading system meets or exceeds the standards defined by GIE Perles de Tahiti classification guide and the French Polynesian parliament regulation.  Our system consists of four grades: AAAA, AAA, AA, A. Our grading is comparable to the A-D system commonly used in the pearl industry for Tahitian Pearls.

Tahitian pearls generally range in size from as small as 8mm to as large as 16mm.  Pearls below 10mm are typically considered small in size.  10mm until 12mm are generally the more popular sizes selected for necklaces, while anything above 13mm is considered to be larger, rarer, and more valuable, especially in the higher qualities.  Tahitian pearl necklaces often graduate in size, though The Pearl Source offers both graduated and non-graduated pearl necklaces.  None of our graduated necklaces graduate by more than 3 millimeters.  They graduate slowly and evenly in size from the smallest-size pearls in the back to the largest in the front of the necklace.