white south sea pearls

What Size Do They Grow To And What Shapes Are They Available In?

The South Sea Pearl is generally a very large gem, much bigger than other types of pearls. These gemstones also have, on average, the thickest nacre of all cultured pearls. All of these factors come together to make this pearl type the most valuable on the market today.

On rare occasions, cultivated South Sea Pearls have been known to grow as large as 20 millimeters in size. Generally, only up to 30% of harvest will produce near-round and round pearls.

The gems that come from the South Sea oysters can also be found in perfectly round, drop-shaped, and baroque pearl shapes. These are often used when creating unique, high-end pearl jewelry.

How Are They Formed And How Long Does The Process Take?

The South Sea Pearl is created by South Sea saltwater oysters. They are bead nucleated, so theres no danger to the environment or the oysters themselves.

These gems take about 2-4 years to fully develop and be ready for harvesting. The South Sea Pearl is also very sensitive to various factors. Therefore, culturing areas are quite limited. All of these factors increase the value of the South Sea Pearl even more.

Silver-lipped South Sea saltwater oysters produce pearls in various colors. Some of the most common overtones come from the silver, blue, aqua, and white families of overtones.

Gold-lipped oysters produce gems in colors such as deep gold, champagne, and cream. Because the body color of the South Sea Pearl is often so rich, they are rarely processed beyond simple washing and buffing after harvest.