These days, black pearls have become the second most popular colour, even though they haven’t been on the scene for very long. The most well known of course that you may find in a black pearl set are the Tahitian variety. Read this post in order to find out what is so special about black pearl sets or Tahitian pearls in general!
These particular pearls are produced by the Tahitian pearl oyster (Pinctada Maxima). Although they are known as black pearls they do in fact come in a variety of different colours, shades, and overtones. The colour you see is produced completely naturally. But there is one exception to this rule is the chocolate Tahitian pearl. To achieve this colour the original pearl will need to be treated.
As you can imagine the price of such pearls is high. But you can now get a black pearl set that costs less.
Here at PearlsOnly, you have a variety of black pearl sets. You can easily find a set composed of black pearl earrings, a pearl necklace and a bracelet, or simply a stunning black pearl necklace and matching black pearl earrings.
The other kinds of black pearl sets online you can buy these days will be made using either Akoya or Freshwater pearls. But the important thing to remember the oysters that produce such pearls isn’t able to create black ones naturally. In order for such pearls to be classified as being black, the pearls need to be treated using an organic dye.
Although such pearls can be created in the wild, there are many pearl farmers who now are able to cultivate such. The conditions under which pearls are grown and which are used in say a black pearl set online is tightly controlled.
To create such pearls the farmers will add an irritant into the oyster pearl sac. They tend to use either a piece of sand or a piece of shell. Once the oyster becomes aware of the irritant it tries to ease any discomfort it may be feeling. To do this is begins to coat it in nacre is made up of calcium carbonate. Over time this nacre begins to harden and this is what in turn causes a pearl to be formed.
But what makes these pearls turn black is because within the oyster there is a thick band of black. The sac in which the pearl will form is to be found close to this band and as a result, it causes some of the colour to be taken up by the nacre as it forms.
Although you can buy a beautiful black pearl jewelry set these days it depends on how close to the band the sac is as to how dark the pearls created will be. If they develop close to it, of course, they will be much blacker in colour. But should the sac be a small distance away the colours of the pearls can very from a light black to a silvery grey colour.
How Do Tahitian Black Pearls Compare To Others
The first thing to note is that the nacre of the pearls in a Tahitian black pearl set in gold is much thicker. In fact, if you were to compare an Akoya black pearl set with one made using Black Tahitian pearls it would feel lighter.
The next thing, you will notice is that the Tahitian variety used in say a black pearl necklace and earring set are much larger than those from a cultured black pearl set. In an Akoya black pearl set, the pearls can range in size from as small as 3 mm up to around 10 to 14 mm in diameter. But in a Tahitian black pearl jewelry set, the pearls will measure between 8 and 18 mm in diameter.
Another wonderful feature that makes these types of pearls so sought after is their amazing array of iridescent colours. These pearls are the only ones that come with the full colour spectrum. This is because the oysters that create such pearls come with a rainbow like mantle, allowing them to show all the natural colours.
As the pearls made in the Tahitian oyster are bead nucleated quite a lot of them are perfectly round or almost round. These are of course the most valuable of all the black pearls now available.
But again if you take a look online you will find a black pearl necklace and bracelet set at a more affordable price. This is because the designer has chosen to use more irregular shaped pearls in their pieces. Other shapes that such pearls come in are baroque, button, circled and drops.
Also as mentioned above we discussed the fact that these days you can get either freshwater or Akoya black pearl sets. A cultured black pearl set using such will be made using a number of different methods to colour them. The main methods used in order to create such sets through dyeing or irradiation.
The processes involved are quite extensive and we explain below just what is involved so that a normal off white or cream pearl can be turned into a black one.
How They Turn Akoya Or Freshwater Pearls Black
It requires some ingenuity on the part of the pearl farmers to be able to create a beautiful black and white pearl necklace set as you’ve seen online. The processes involved in order for a freshwater or Akoya black pearl set to be created is as follows.
The whole aim of using these processes is to help enhance the natural colour and beauty of the black pearls you see being worn today even further.
Pre-Treatment Of Pearls
Most pearls even cultured ones are bleached in order to lighten them and remove any uneven or dark areas that may well appear below the nacre. This is a permanent change to the pearls and results in the pearls having a more uniformed appearance.
This step is also vital, as it will help to prepare the pearls then for the next stage that will help to alter the colour of the pearls.
Dyeing Of Pearls
As pearls are porous they absorb things very easily from oils off your skin, to the perfume or makeup you wear. So you need to be careful when wearing any kind of pearl as they can quickly become tarnished.
So as they are so porous it means they quickly absorb any kind of natural or chemical substance that comes into contact with them, including dyes. Those who dye pearls (Pearl Treater) are able to take advantage of the porous nature of a pearl to create a more uniformed and finer colour to them. They do this through dyeing the pearls using either natural extracts or chemical or inorganic dyes.
Although such dyes help to make a beautiful black pearl earring set for example there is one thing to remember. The thing to remember is that overtime the colour may begin to fade, so you need to take extra special care of such pieces of jewelry.
Irradiation Of Pearls
To create such pearls the nucleus of the pearl is hit with gamma-rays, causing it to become much darker. In turn, this causes the pearl to turn a much darker colour. In some cases, they may turn a colour that closely resembles the colour of a natural black pearl jewelry set. As a result of this process, the cost of a buying say a black and white pearl necklace set is a lot less.
Another great feature of using irradiation rather than dyeing to turn pearls black is that the iridescent quality of these pearls is far better. This, in turn, results in them looking more like a natural black pearl would.
You shouldn’t be concerned about such pearls causing you any harm as after the irradiation process has been completed the pearls don’t retain any radioactivity. Most people are who experts in pearls believe that this process results in a more permanent colour being achieved.
As well as these processes being used to create black pearls, they can also be used to create pearls of varied tones of this one colour. So, of course, it provides jewelers with the opportunity to create even more wonderful and unique cultured black pearl jewelry sets for us to wear.
What is important to remember is that you need to take care of such jewelry properly in order for it to last for years to come! You need to make sure that after wearing your black pearl set you clean them very gently before storing. As with original white pearls you simply need to wipe them down with a soft cloth and some warm water.
Also, make sure that you store your jewelry correctly. So you should always place your black pearl jewelry set in a good quality soft cloth pouch. This will prevent them from coming into contact with other pieces of jewelry that can cause damage to the surface of the pearls. Last, but not least, make sure to always use make up and perfume before adding your pearls.
Here at Pearlsonly.com, we have an amazing selection of black pearl sets for you to choose from Real Black Freshwater Pearls Sets, Black Tahitian Pearl Sets or Black Akoya Pearl Sets. So being able to find one that suits your particular budget and your personal tastes shouldn’t prove at all difficult. Along with more conventional designs we also offer some that are a little more unique and will look fabulous with any outfit in your wardrobe. Make a small investment for a large dose of sophistication and elegance!
