A Tahitian black pearl color

A Tahitian black pearl color normally does not run through the entire pearl. When looking at the stone it could be lighter on one side and when you turn it over it could be black on the opposite end. With practice and experience (and further education if you're really serious), a loupe can tell even the amateur a great deal. Using a gemologist can help to determine if the pearl stone is synthetic, natural made of glass or has many imperfections like blemishes or cracks in the stone. In other words, the loupe can provide the necessary information to help you know whether the stone is in fact what it is supposed to be.

There are numerous other examples of the use of pearls to enhance sex appeal or sexual experience or both. Pearls can make many different types of jewelry, a belly chain of freshwater pearls is one type of Silver Jewelry and a toe ring made out of mother of pearl is another. Quality pearls are not cheap but they will last a lifetime. The best way to store your pearls is in a soft cloth bag in your jewelry box.

The multi-strand necklace is ever so preppy. Besides a diamond, the only other gem that is of great interest to man is the pearl. The oldest recorded natural pearl necklace dates back to more than 4,000 years ago.

From these retail Sites I was able to get a very good grasp on pricing and what to expect. I created a pricing scale with the help of PearlParadise.com's staff even though I had no intention of buying pearls from them. They gave me a range of prices of loose pearls and strands in different shapes, colors and qualities.

Window Shop the Dealers

Armed with my knowledge I left for Tahiti. Three days in Papeete with an afternoon in Moorea and two nights in Bora Bora is what I had to look forward to.

In Papeete there are pearl boutiques everywhere. Every dealer claims to be a farmer, or the son of a farmer etc. But I did not buy! I wanted to check them all first.

My on-site education was nearly as useful as the research I had done back home in North Dakota before leaving on vacation. I could immediately determine which boutiques targeted unwary tourists like I would have been, and I could see quality with my own eyes. And I understood it!

Prices fluctuate enormously, with simple pieces going for $100 and under, to a strand of large rounds at Robert Wan's for more than $100,000. One thing became very apparent to me quite quickly. There are not a lot of real "deals" on Tahitian pearls in Tahiti. In fact, the target price list I had created before leaving was far different than any prices I found in the boutiques.MORE:Pearl Jewelry