How to Buy Tahitian Pearls for Cheap

Tahitian pearls have long been sought after for their beauty and value. Named after the island of Tahiti, black-lipped pearl oysters produce iridescent black, gray and greenish-black pearls. French Polynesians began cultivating the pearls in 1965, and now farming is done outside of the island. Six factors determine the quality of the Tahitian Pearl. They are luster, nacre thickness, surface, color, size and shape.

Instructions

1

Assess nacre thickness. This is the most important factor for Tahitian pearl quality. The French Polynesian Government has set a minimum nacre thickness of 0.8 mm for Tahitian pearls.

2

Evaluate surface quality. Surface quality is assessed in four grades: A, B, C and D. 'A' is the highest quality and 'D' is the worst. All 'A' surface quality pearls have a very clean surface. The 'D' quality pearls are heavily spotted with flaws over 60 percent of the pearl's surface.

3

Pay attention to luster. Luster measures a Tahitian pearl's surface for shininess. A high luster is like a high mirror shine. Thick nacre usually creates high luster.

4

Note the size. The most common size is 8 mm to 14 mm; however, some pearls are over 18 mm. The largest Tahitian pearl in the world is 25 mm. The larger the pearl the higher the price.

5

Decide on low or high quality. Ideally you'll find high quality at a low price; however, that is not common. If your goal is to find cheap Tahitian pearls, it is important to figure out what you are willing to concede in quality. Is luster more important than size? Is the setting more important than color?