You've probably come across earrings like the ones pictured above once or twice over the past few months. They're beautiful and exotic-looking, with some pieces rivaling their more popular counterparts--the Tahitian Pearl-- in price. They're called Chocolate Pearls, or in certain circles Chocolate Tahitian Pearls.While there's no doubt that these pearls are indeed pearls (actually, you can also make Chocolate Pearls with faux pearls, but that's for another day), the way they achieve such color is definitely not natural. In fact, anyone who can boil water can make their own chocolate-colored pearls if they want to. Of course, I'm simplifying the process a bit; it's actually more involved than that. However, there is no doubt that no cultured or uncultured oyster can produce a pearl with such a color.
Here's how you make these beauties:
- Place your pearls in the top pan of a double boiler and add enough water to cover them
- Add around a teaspoon of vinegar to bleach them
- Add strong coffee, instant coffee or black walnut shells and bring water to a boil. (use more coffee or shells for more intense color)
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes (or until a desired color is attained)
- Once a desired color is attained, drain the pearls, wash them and dry them on an absorbent surface such as a smooth dry cloth
That's all there is to it. If you want more color intensity, filter the dyed water and cover your pearls with the filtered dye for several hours.
As you can see, a Chocolate Tahitian Pearl is basically no more than a dyed low-grade pearl. I say low-grade mainly because no one in their right mind would ruin a top-grade Tahitian Pearl's luster, let alone change its color. And like all dyed pearls, its color will eventually fade. More so when it's exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet light and if the pearl is over-bleached .
Keep that in mind when you're thinking about buying Chocolate Tahitian Pearl jewelry.
Pearl dying process from http://jewelrymaking.allinfoabout.com/features/dyepearls.html
I've heard you could make your freshwater pearls brown by putting them on top of the kind of stoves that are flat..I can't think of what they are called. Not sure how true that is..it's basically just heating them up though I don't know what it would do to your stove top. Maybe nothing. seems they would roll all around too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on how to do this..I love chocolate colored pearls and can't always find good ones..I definitely need to try this!
Aloha Jonara!
ReplyDeleteI've heard that you can do that as well, but I haven't tried it. One of the reasons why you want to put pearls in a double boiler is because you don't want them to be too exposed to heat as this would ruin the nacre. If you put them on a stove top, I guess it would turn brown, but more of a burnt "flat" brown that isn't as iridescent as dying them. Might have to try "stir-frying" some pearls to see how it would look. :)
That is a really interesting idea. Sort of a Mickey Mouse way of dyeing pearls. I wonder what sort of disclosure would be required with that type of treatment.
ReplyDeleteHonestly though, in order for dye to permeate the nacre, an organic-dye compound should be used with heat (not boiling) and compression over a long period of time.
Then again, how about a new trend? Coffee pearls!
These are really awful tahitian pearls, I don't know why they want to do chocolate tahitian pearls. This will harm pearls as they are organic gems. I doubt it still can be called as Tahitian Pearls but might just be a trend!
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