Welcome to Collins Tahitian Black Pearls

Pearl farming in Polynesia is not an industry per say, it is a way of life.

Tahiti, where the black pearl legend lives, is in the middle of the Pacific ocean. Hop on a jet at LAX, fly South-east for eight hours over nothing but blue seas and you are upon the Polynesian archipelago of Tahiti. If you keep going south, the next larger land mass you reach is New Zealand, five hours later.

The archipelago is comprised of 118 Islands and atolls spread out over a surface area equal to the landmass of all of Europe. The area is divided into 5 groups, the Society, the Australes, the Marquesas, the Tuamotu and Gambiers islands. It is in the Tuamotu atolls where the black pearl myth is born.

It all starts with the “Pinctada Margaritifera”, otherwise known as the “Black-lipped oyster", or “Parau” for locals.

The Black-lipped oyster can be found throughout the Polynesian triangle in varying concentrations. Historically, locals would free-dive at insane depths to harvest these shells for trade. Nowadays things have changed a bit, and collecting these specimens early-on in their life cycle is the norm. We nurture them and bring them to maturity, ready for the culturing process.