Are South Sea pearls really golden?
Yes. Pearls are produced in the aptly named “gold-lipped” oysters (P. maxima) can be a beautiful creamy yellow, called “golden” in the industry. (The silver-lipped number of P. maxima produces beautiful silver or white beads.) Grown in the Southern Ocean, stretching from the southern coast of Southeast Asia to the northern coast of Australia, these pearls are grown in one of the biggest oysters used in pearl cultivation. Because they can accept a larger bead and secrete nacre faster than their smaller counterparts, these big oysters produce large pearls of exceptional brilliance and beauty. South Sea pearls’ thick layer of nacre pearls gives a wonderful shine, or glow, which appears to come from deep within the pearl. The warm water, abundant food supply and low contamination of the Southern Ocean also help these oysters produce beautiful cultured pearls.
