Pinctada Maxima
South Sea pearls come from the Pinctada Maxima oyster.
Pinctada maxima is the largest and rarest of all pearl oysters and produces the finest natural pearls of any type.
As a general rule, as experienced producers of Australian South Seas Pearls say,
“the most beautiful natural pearls come from oysters with the most beautiful shells.”
Producers carefully collect wild oysters by hand in the pristine waters of northwestern Australia. They are then transported under controlled conditions to pearl farms, where they are cultivated in the hope that they will produce a high-quality pearl. Not every oyster produces a pearl, and with rare exceptions, most will produce only one pearl at a time.
In Pinctada Maxima oysters, even the shell itself is highly valued for its luminous surface, which is used in fine jewelry and premium-quality buttons.
Quality
The pristine ocean conditions of Australia are recognized as the source of the world’s finest and largest pearls. Today, Australian natural South Sea pearls with high translucency and rich color overtones (known as orient) are produced exclusively in Australia. This unique play of surface colors occurs naturally only in pearls with exceptionally high nacre quality.
Location
Wild Pinctada Maxima oysters are found in commercially viable quantities only in isolated regions of northwestern Australia. Pearl oysters are rare and solitary creatures that thrive only in waters rich in microscopic plankton. They are extremely sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, making them very difficult to cultivate. Untouched by pollution, Pinctada maxima oysters are protected by strict fishing quotas imposed by the Australian government.