Tahitian pearls shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow! And what can be a pearl born in such heavenly places?
Tahitians can be as bright and saturated as the bugs and butterflies that live in the Amazon rainforest, or as subtle as the radiant pastels seen every morning when the mist covers the beaches.
Tahitian pearls are "black" pearls that are not actually black!
Typically, the body colors of these pearls range from a very pale bluish gray to various shades of charcoal grey, from medium charcoal gray to dark charcoal grey.
Shades of Peacock
"Peacock" is the most popular and well-known shade of Tahitian pearls of all. Typically an iridescent mixture of green, gold, and pink, sometimes interspersed with blue and/or turquoise blue-green.
This overtone can be incredibly intense and rich, or softer and less intense, but still beautiful!
The most intense peacock shades are usually seen on baroque Tahitian pearls. This is because baroque pearl shapes are created by uneven layers of mother-of-pearl. They show thicker sections of crystalline plates, which enhance the colors, as well as enhance the play of light and modulations.
True round pearls have a much smoother and more even distribution of mother-of-pearl, so pearls that match the color intensity of baroque pearls are less common.
Green shades
Another popular and very classic shade is green - this gorgeous color can range from a "warm" green with golden hues to a very "cool" hue that includes blues and silvers.
Silver shades
A silvery tint over a pale bluish gray or light charcoal gray body, has a whitish sheen, usually with a pale iridescence (often blue, green, or pink).
Silver is also a brighter hue that reflects a lot of light, making these pearls appear larger than they really are.
steel shades
Steel is much more common than silver.
Steel-colored pearls are a classic option and these pearls are large in size.
shades of rose
This popular shade is highly visible, popular and common among Tahitian pearls! Pink is a pale to intense pink that pairs beautifully with the entire gamut of body colors from pale bluish gray to very dark charcoal gray.
Shades of cherry / eggplant
Cherry (or eggplant) is the most intense pink color mixed with dark blue hues.
Cherry is a rare combination of overtones that is usually paired with dark to very dark charcoal skin tones. Valuable and sought after, the passion of collectors!
multicolored shades
Multi-colored Tahitian pearls combine all colors and you can see how each shade complements the other. Multi-color Tahitians can be just about any combination you can imagine, but most are either medium-dark and very saturated, or a combination of pale, silver, and aquamarine colors.
There are many, many other shades that Tahitian pearls can have - this is just a short list. Shades such as gold, bronze, chocolate, pistachio green and others are well-known and loved color combinations.
