South Sea pearls, also known as Australian pearls for the light and golden ones, and Tahitian pearls for the darker ones. We are interested in the special case of Australian pearls, which originate in the warm waters of Oceania and use the same cultivation process as saltwater pearls (Tahiti and Akoya).

Origin of Australian pearls

These australian pearls despite their name, are produced from the southern coast of China to the north of Australia, passing through Indochina and Indonesia. The pearl oyster that produces these pearls is called "Pinctada Maxima", which lives in the salt water of these regions.

The history of Australian pearls

Australian pearls were the first pearls to be sought and produced on a large scale. Swimmers were sent into the water to retrieve pearls from Pinctada Maxima oysters. It wasn't until 1861 that mariners discovered underwater areas with an extremely high density of oyster shells, which allowed swimmers to have more than enough quality pearls from the Pinctada Maxima oysters in their catch. The value of these pearls quickly increased exponentially as they were used by European monarchs and high officials, so much so that each year more and more expensive pearl items were brought to market

The first pearl farm in Australia appeared in 1965, taking over the pearl farming introduced by the Japanese years before. From this farm were established large-scale farms, producing more than half of the South Seas pearls at any given time.

Characteristics of Australian pearls

The average size of Australian pearls is 13 mm with some reaching 20 mm! These large pearls require a longer cultivation time, ranging from 18 to 24 months compared to 9 to 16 months for the akoya pearls.

In addition, the thickness of the nacre of these pearls is greater than other types of pearls, ranging from 2 to 6mm against 0.35 to 0.70mm for the akoya pearls.

Depending on the variety of the pearl oyster (Golden Lips or Silver Lips), multi-colored pearls are produced: white, silver or gold with unique patterns of pearly luster

Because of its characteristics and color, the pearls from Australia are among the most prized and expensive pearls in the world. These pearls are an excellent choice to complete your jewelry collection.