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South Sea
South Sea – White and Gold
Their large size, limited culturing area, and extended growth period all combine to make South Sea pearls the rarest of all pearl types. Found in colors ranging from optic white to a deep, honey gold, these pearls are prized by collectors and designers alike. The luster of South Seas pearls, whether white or golden, is soft and luxurious. Only a small percentage of South Seas are spherical and as such, full strands of matched pearls are extremely rare.
Golden South Sea pearls are among the largest, most valuable pearls produced today. They are grown in the gold-lip variety of the Pinctada maxima, South Sea pearl oyster. Their warm, golden tones are completely natural, and no treatments are needed to enjoy the beauty of these luxurious gems.
How do they compare to other types of pearls?
South Sea pearls are generally much larger than other pearl types and have a unique luster quality – a soft reflection due to the large aragonite platelets that make up the pearl. They also have the thickest average nacre of all cultured pearls. These factors make South Seas both distinctive and valuable. South Sea pearls have the highest value and command the highest prices of all types of pearls.
As with other saltwater oysters, the South Sea pearl oyster is bead-nucleated. However, the growth period is approximately 2-4 years, unlike the akoya pearls, which develop in less than half that time. Being a delicate organism, this type of pearl oyster is particularly susceptible to disease and stress, which is one reason why the culturing area for South Seas pearls is quite limited. Attempts to expand South Sea pearl farming have met with little success because the oysters do not thrive outside their native, natural environment.
Golden South Sea pearls, much like white South Sea pearls, are typically larger than other saltwater pearl varieties. Their host shell is the largest pearl-producing oyster, and is able to grow a very large pearl. As with other saltwater oysters, the Pinctada maxima is bead-nucleated. However, the growth period is approximately 2-4 years, unlike the akoya pearls, which develop in one to two years, and Tahitian pearls which develop in under two years.
The value of a golden South Sea pearl is heavily dependent upon the color; the deeper the golden color, the more valuable the pearl. The overall value of these pearls is higher than akoya or Tahitian, and very comparable to white South Sea pearls. The deepest golden color, often referred to as 24 karat, is considered the most valuable color of all South Sea pearls.
What colors,shapes and sizes are available?
South Sea pearls can be found in the range of 8 to 20 mm, with the average being 12 mm. Although extremely rare, some pearls have been found larger than 20 mm.
Baroque and drop-shapes are often used in high-end designer jewellery to showcase their unique shapes and luster. This also makes the South Sea pearls available at a variety of price levels.
Silver-lipped South Sea pearl oysters generally produce pearls in the white, silver, aqua and blue family of overtones. The gold-lipped variety produces the cream, champagne, and deeper golden variety.
Since the natural colors of South Sea pearls are so rich and beautiful, after harvesting they are merely washed and buffed to remove any residue and bring out their natural glow.
Pearls produced by the gold-lip South Sea pearl oyster range is colors from a creamy white to a deep gold. The varying hues in between are often referred to as yellow and champagne. Each of the colors may be beautiful in their own right, but the most valuable is gold.
South Sea pearls are quite large, and they tend to have very thick nacre. For this reason, not all golden South Sea pearls are as perfectly spherical as other saltwater pearl varieties. In a typical pearl harvest, there will be a large number of drop pearls, button pearls, baroque pearls and circle pearls.
Golden South Sea pearls can grow quite large. An 8 mm pearl would be considered a large pearl if akoya, but this is the smallest size one will find in South Sea. The average size is in the 10 to 13 mm range, and some remarkable pearls have been found as large as 20 mm.
How rare and valuable are they?
White South Sea pearls generally retain the highest value of all pearl types. Because of their scarcity and unusually large size range, they command much higher prices.
Depending on the quality, shape, and size of a strand, prices can be well up into the range of $10,000 to even $1,000,000 and more.
Fine, baroque shapes are often used individually in unique jewellery pieces which can make them more affordable while still showcasing their natural beauty.
Of all the cultured pearl varieties on the market today, South Sea pearls are the undisputed leaders in value. Their large size, combined with the relative scarcity, make them among the most desired as well. A perfect strand of deep golden South Sea pearls in a large size can sell for more than $100,000.
Where do they come from?
The majority of white South Sea pearls are cultured along the northwest coast of Australia.
Pearl oysters in Australia are predominately collected from the wild, with hatchery-bred oysters supplementing the wild stock. Wild oysters are mixed with the hatchery stock to keep the supply healthy and plentiful, and all sources are closely monitored by government organizations to guarantee their long-term well being.
Adding to their mystique is a colorful past, beginning at the end of the 19th century. In the 1850’s, the rough-and-tumble city of Broome, on the northwest coast of Australia, fast became the commercial center for South Sea pearls, despite its seedy reputation. Large-scale commercial pearl culturing began in earnest during the 1950’s and has grown steadily since.
Today, Broome still dominates the white South Sea pearling industry and has become a beautiful, modern city reflecting the high-tech nature of the business.
While White South Sea pearls predominately come from Australia, golden South Sea pearls are now primarily grown in the Philippines and Indonesia, with Australia making up only a small percentage. Golden South Sea pearls are, however, typically sold on auction in cooperation with white South Sea pearl producers, and many of the auction lots will offer a mixture of both white and gold. The auctions are held several times each year in Japan and Hong Kong.