Pearly Blog

Tahitian pearls are rarely pure black, and that's part of their appeal. Learn what makes black pearls valuable, from luster and color to size and matching, plus what Kamoka's pearls cost and how to choose one.

Bigger isn't always better. Learn how Tahitian pearl sizes compare, how pearls are measured, and how to choose the right size for necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and pendants.

Discover the key differences between Tahitian pearls vs freshwater pearls, including their origin, color, quality, farming process, and price. Learn which type of pearl may be the right choice for your jewelry.

Learn how to tell if a pearl is real with simple clues like luster, surface texture, natural variation, weight, and color. Discover what to look for when identifying genuine Tahitian pearls and when professional testing may be worthwhile.

A Tahitian pearl necklace is more than a timeless piece of jewelry, it's a symbol of natural beauty, expert craftsmanship, and lasting elegance. Whether you're buying your first necklace or adding to your collection, choosing the right Tahitian pearl involves understanding quality, color, size, and style. In this guide, you'll discover what makes genuine Tahitian pearls unique, what to look for when shopping, and how to find the perfect necklace to suit your personal style and last for generations.

Discover how Kamoka Pearl nurtures Tahitian pearls in harmony with the ocean. From solar-powered operations to natural, fish-assisted oyster care, explore the art of sustainable pearl farming in French Polynesia and see how eco-friendly practices create timeless, heirloom-quality jewelry.

Because they are raised, not mined, pearls can be the most ecologically responsible gem you can buy. Not all pearls are 100 percent natural or sustainably produced however so it’s important to know where your pearls come from.

The desire to farm Tahitian pearls begins with a dream, which then transforms into reality.  This reality is made up first of heavy investment, then strenuous work, then more investment, then more work and so on until the harvest of those first pearls.  This could be four or more years after setting out in the first place. 

We finished up our mid-day meal and like usual, I put a kettle of hot water on the stove for tea and coffee.  On the farm in the Tuamotus, it rarely gets hotter or colder than 85° year-round.  That’s the temperature of the lagoon water, which keeps things incredibly constant.  A hot beverage was more about prolonging our meal than anything else.  Like any kind of farming, our work was almost sure to be physically demanding.  As soon as lunch was over we would be back at it until the end of the day.

The following Sunday I made my way across the 5 kilometers of lagoon that separated our farms.  He invited me to eat with him which I gladly accepted.  After I cleaned my plate of stewed chicken, peas and white rice with a piece of baguette, he asked me with a half smile if I wanted to see the pearls.  He knew I was more than a little eager to see them and he seemed to be enjoying taking his sweet time.  Of the 20 oysters second-grafted, 14 of them had produced pearls. 

"Are you sure?”  This seemed crazy to me.  I searched Julien’s green eyes for any sign of him kidding around.  His sun blackened face was typically animated by a faint mischievous smile, infused with good nature but sometimes you wondered.  Julien was a Paumotu (person of the Tuamotu Archipelago) and one of the tiny handful of farmers who had started farming Tahitian pearls around the same time as our farm, circa 1990.

This post is a nod to one of my favorite types of Tahitian pearls: baroques.  

By definition a baroque pearl has one single trait that other pearl types (round, semi-round, semi-baroque and circled) share: no axis of symmetry.

Jason Momoa, the new face of Conan the Barbarian, wearing a Tahitian pearl on leather.

 A friend of mine sent me this photo because I'm a huge Conan the Barbarian fan.  Haha, not really but the trailer sure looks like fun.