Is color a factor when it comes to value

[Adam1]

Is one color of Tahitians worth more than another color?

 

[jshepherd]

Color certainly makes a difference. Stay away from the lighter, dull colors. A gray strand, for example, should sell for much less than a dark strand with a green overtone or a rose overtone.
When pearl lots are auctioned off the highest bids always go to lots that have good orient, and peacock overtones. The next most valuable are the dark lots and the green lots. Lots of gray and light colored pearls, even clean, will sell for less than B/C peacock.
In a nice peacock strand you should be able to see a lot of different colors throughout the strand, and throughout the individual pearls. The strand does not necessarily need to be dark to be peacock. After every buy we are typically able to make one or two peacock strands with a more unique body color (like blue), but most are going to have a green bodycolor.

 

[thepearlsource]

Adam,
Color is always a preference. I've had customers asking about a large platinum necklace and I've had customers that only want the famous peacock green, which most dont even know what it really looks like. With value, however, the blues, deep greens, copper, bronze, and lime pearls tend to be very rare and are worth much more. One of the reasons our company is so popular is because we incorporate many of those rare colors in our multicolor necklaces

 

[Kenji]

I do not agree. Ones can always make the fancy color necklaces with larger lots, some uniform strands from multicolor lots, but the highest value wll always be in the true peacock color necklaces. The others can be priced like the peacock, but the selling is always strongest with the peacock, hence the inherent value. The gray and blue (except the more rare peacock blue) is always sold for much less than peacock.

 

[purepearls]

I agree with Kenji. The darker strands with the peacock overtone are valued higher. There is also much more demand for Tahitian pearls with peacock overtones than any other variation. Multicolor necklaces on average are not valued as high as a matched strand of Tahitian pearls.

 

[The Pearl Outlet]

Let me just add a couple of points.

The first is that there is such a thing as a Tahitian pearl, which is too dark. Don't get me wrong though, in general, a darker body color is desirable and will command a higher price. But a charcoal black Tahitian is usually achieved by dying the pearl (though there are exceptions). This reduces the luster and value. Even for Tahitians that are naturally VERY dark, we've found that many customers, in general, don't like the look.

The second is that multicolor Tahitian pearl necklaces, as pointed out, do not command as high of a value. Part of the reason is that these are easy to make because you don't have to match all the pearls. However, you do have to have a certain symmetry to the color. Here's a picture of a multi-color Tahitian necklace:

Multi-color Tahitian Necklace

One advantage of making multi-color necklaces is the use of certain colors which would not look good as a single strand, as well as the use of rare colors which would be difficult to match enough pearls to make a strand.

 

[purepearls]

Also, I just want to reiterate that Tahitian pearls are never truly black unless enhanced. They can be very dark gray but never "black". I have customers who love, love, love the really dark bodycolored Tahitians. I personally do as well! Color is always subjective but, in general, the dark color does carry more value.

 

[jshepherd]

This is not completely accurate. There are Tahitians that do appear to be completely black. Every large lot I purchase does have a number of black pieces. Usually not enough to make many necklaces, but I have made a few that appear completely black - and the pearls are untreated.

 

[Richard W. Wise]

I too have seen natural very dark toned Tahitian pearls. Don't like them so much as the dark tone tends to mask any orient thus depriving the pearl of "life".

I realize the peacock is the most desired but how precisely do you define it, i.e. is in red/green? or is red/blue possible?

The purple orient seems to be the rarest. I have only seen one or two pearls that have a true purple overtone. A true blue orient is fairly rare as well. So, I would immagine that a purple strand would command a price higher than peacock if it could be made. Is this true?

 

[The Pearl Outlet]

Peacock Tahitian

Peacock Tahitian

When talking about Tahitian pearl color, a picture may be necessary. After all, what one person is thinking of when they say "very dark" may not be what another person is seeing in their mind's eye.

With this in mind, here is a picture a pair of Tahitian earrings with peacock overtones. You can see definite green, purple, and rose overtones all at the same time.

NOTE: Image is copyrighted by The Pearl Outlet

 

[The Pearl Outlet]

Dark Tahitian

Dark Tahitian

Here's a picture of a dark Tahitian pearl which still has a great luster. It is definately beautiful. It is unenhanced and very close to black.

Does anyone have a picture of one which they consider too dark?

NOTE: Image is copyrighted by The Pearl Outlet

 

[Richard W. Wise]

Both are lovely. I think the pearls that I have seen are dead black in the sense that there is no orient/overtone present. Seems to me that even with high luster, which the pearls I saw in Hong Kong lacked , a pearl without that ephemeral misty glow lacks the sense of "life" as pearl aficianados define the term.

 

[The Pearl Outlet]

Well put Richard!