"Black is a pearl in a woman's eye." – George Chapman

 

 

Rainbow Ombré Tahitian Pearl Necklace with Matching South Sea Pearl Ring

Pure says: An honest to goodness Tahitian rainbow! I swoon.

Pearls by Elizabeth Blair

 

 

 

 

LEGENDS OF THE MYSTERIOUS BLACK PEARL

 

Black pearls have fascinated men and women spanning cultures, lands and time, so it's no surprise that there are numerous legends and myths that have been created around them. This post details a few of my favorites, and I hope you like them too. Enjoy! 

 

 

Pirate's Legend

It turns out that the "Legend of the Black Pearl" isn't just a movie. Sailors and pirates of yore had their own tale to tell about the coveted gem. 

This maritime myth contends that "The Black Pearl" was a large, mystical black pearl that could control the weather at sea. In this gold artwork piece, a large octopus wrestles with a mermaid for control of the precious gem. Artwork by William Depaula

 

 

The Tears of Adam and Eve

Christian legend holds that when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden for eating the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, their tears and grief at what they had done were a torrent. They wept so bitterly and much that their tears turned to pearls and were so numerous that they filled a lake.

The white and pink pearls belonged to Eve. But the black pearls belonged to Adam. It is said that because men guard their emotions more and cry less easily, the dark pearls represented the rarity of the gems, and the depth of the pain released when he shed tears. 

 

 

Oro and His Bride

This gorgeous legend deals with Tahitian pearls in particular, and says that Oro, the Polynesian god of peace and fertility descended from the heavens on a rainbow intending to gift the black pearl to the people of Polynesia.

Instead, he encountered the Princess Bora Bora and instantly fell in love with her. He gave the Tahitian pearl to the Princess as a symbol of his ever-lasting love. For this reason, Tahitian pearls are symbolic of eternal love. 

 

 

The Moon Goddess Bathing

According to South Sea legend the goddess of the Moon would come down to the sea to bathe at night. Her light would fill the oceans with her bright, ethereal light, attracting the oysters to her. For heeding her call, she blessed the oysters with drops of her divine light, which coalesced within the oysters as shimmering black pearls.

Polished by the passage of time, this heavenly light holds its moonlit radiance within the pearl and wraps the pearl in gorgeous iridescent shades of green, blue, and pink. 

 

 

When Heaven Meets Earth

The Greeks and Romans believed that black pearls were  “born from the meeting of a rainbow with the earth,” and that imperfections were due to thunder. 

 

 

The Dragon and His Pearl

Ancient Chinese legend holds that dragons formed black pearls within their minds; when they were fully grown, they carried their pearls clenched in their teeth to protect them. In order to gain possession of the pearl and all the benefits it could bestow - mainly luck and good fortune - you had to kill the dragon. Some versions of this legend says that the dragon gained its own powers from the pearl itself.

Due to this, black pearls are symbols of cunning, strength and wisdom in Chinese culture.

 

 

 

 

"WHEN HEAVEN MEETS EARTH"

 

 

Tahitian black pearls are the most exotic and mystical of all pearls in the world. This 9.0-11.0mm pearl necklace is no exception, portraying the beauty and uniqueness of the enormous palette of colors available within Tahitian pearls.

This pearl necklace is compiled of the most exquisite and unique pearls available from French Polynesia, with high luster and very clean surfaces. Included with this item is a complementary pearl polishing cloth, giving you the ability to maintain this necklace's elegant beauty for years to come.