Black pearls - question about the color

[elepri]

Have been looking for black pearl studs and just read on some website that Tahitian pearls are the only ones that are naturally black. What about Akoya? Are black Akoya pearls dyed somehow to make them black? If so, is that a stable process or are they eventually going to lose their color? Sorry if this is a dumb question.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 4/3/2005 8:1:34 PM
Author:elepri

Are black Akoya pearls dyed somehow to make them black?

Yes. I am not sure what the process is, but the coloration is permanent.

Actually, the vast majority (if not all) Japanese eparls are colored somehow - even the white ones. I am not aware of any guarantee of lack of enhancement for these pearls.

 

[rubydick]

I''m no pearl expert, so please take these comments with a healthy dollop of salt.

Akoya refers to the basic Japanese pearl oyster used for cultured pearls. It produces white nacre. Thus any "Akoya" black pearl is by definition treated.

Previously, Akoya pearls were dyed black using a silver nitrate solution. Irradiation has also been used to dye pearls black.

Most natural-color black cultured pearls originate from the pinctada margaritifera oyster, which is a black-lipped oyster.

But cultured black pearls are not limited to Tahiti and the other South Pacific locales. Baja Mexico near La Paz is also producing cultured black pearls from a rainbow-lipped oyster. The fisheries in the vicinity of La Paz have produced many spectacular natural black pearls over the centuries.

Hope this is of some help.

 

[elepri]

Valeria and Richard, thanks for your explanations, this was definitely helpful.