History of a Gem

Due to the value of this jewel, they have been overexploited to a point of near extinction. But science has found a way to cultivate this jewel without compromising the existence of oysters. Pearl farms have been opened where pearls are harvested in a more sustainable way.

It takes around two and a half years to get a big enough oyster to produce a pearl .When it is ready the grafting starts .
The grafter gets a donor oyster that is usually chosen
for the beauty of it’s colors.
Then he cuts a small piece of mantle to insert in another oyster (The mantel is the organ that produces the splendid iridescence called nacre. It also determines the color of the futur Tahitian Black Pearl)
After that he inserts a nucleus, which is a round shaped bead made out of an oyster from the Mississippi river.
The oysters are then suspended on long lines in the clear water of the lagoon for about a year and a half as the pearls inside them form and grow.
Finally the oysters are removed and their pearls are gently extracted.
The same oyster can be grafted and produce a pearl up to 7 times.