Pearls are hard, rounded objects produced by mollusks and oysters. Over time, pearls have been turned into jewelries and also crushed and formed into cosmetics. Pearls are also valuable gemstones.



Formed inside shells of bivalve mollusks, the layer that is deposited inside forms layers known as nacre. Now when these small particles form altogether, a pearl is produced.

Pearls are known for their luster. The luster of the pearl depends on the reflection and refraction of light. The finer the proportion of the layers is, then the thinner and more numerous the light is.

Blackberry pearls are grown from black lipped oysters. They still come in many colors, despite what its name denotes. Their colors vary from specks of silver to a monochromatic black.

An example of a popular blackberry pearl is the ‘peacock green’ pearl that has a magnificent luster and green tinge added to its black coloring.

Blackberry pearls are attractive because of its radiance. It is extremely valuable because of its rarity.

Most blackberry pearls come from the blue lagoons of Polyneisa. Now, blackberry pearls are hundred times more rare than white pearls, thus making blackberry pearls really valuable.

Aside from the color green mentioned earlier, blackberry pearls also come in a variety of colors like emerald green, sea green, peach-copper, pink, pale silver blue, melon, bordeaux, indigo, cranberry and aubergine. Usually ranging from dark green to deep black, blackberry pears are iridescent and constantly shimmering. They are very exotic.

Thus jewelry – necklaces, earrings, bracelets – made from blackberry pearls are indeed a fine gem. They represent love and romance.

How do you then determine the value of a blackberry pearl? There are so many factors:

1. Luster

When you’re selecting a blackberry pearl, always check the luster. The luster refers to the reflective surface giving off a shiny mirror-like quality. The better the luster, the higher the quality of the blackberry pearl. The luster denotes the thick layering of the nacre or the pearl material. If there is a fine luster, it means that the pearl has been inside the oyster for a long period of time. The thicker the nacre, the more valuable the blackberry pearl.

2. Size

In evaluating black pearls, size is a very important criteria. The Black Lipped Oysters, where a majority of Blackberry pearls are obtained, are one of the largest in the world, so it is expected that the pearls are of more-than-average size. The usual size is 8-10.5 mm or there are some cases wherein it is 11-14 mm. The size of the pearl is determined by the size of the nacreous layer that surrounded it when it was still in the oyster. The largest Blackberry Pearl seen so far was 23mm – that’s the size of a small bird egg! Imagine how precious that pearl is!

3. Shape

Blackberry pearls come in a variety of natural shapes. It ranges from mushroom, acorn, barrel, pear-shaped, tear-drop, button and baroque shapes. All these shapes are marketable because they accommodate the demand of the public. But the rounder the pearls are, the more valuable. That is because it is so hard for oysters to create the perfect spherical shape.

4. Orient

The orient is the heart and soul of the pearl. The orient is the penetrating light on the pearl’s surface that gives depth of color and light. This can be observed by looking through the lustrous surface and the many layers of the nacre or pearl material. The layer reflects the light, thus creating an illuminating glow in the pearl. The best way to see the orient is to hold the pearl in front of a neutral background. Let the light shine into the pearl. The eye will be able to see through the surface color.

5. Color

Blackberry Pearls often come in rainbow-like or beautiful natural color. Each color is special. In selecting color, one must determine which looks best on the wearer. The color comes more alive when it suits the skin tone and complexion.

6. Surface

The outer surface of the pearl is checked for smoothness and perfection. The less visible scratch, the better. Each pearl has tiny “surface marks" adding character to the pearl. These marks are like that of birthmarks to human beings. However, the less surface mark, the better. It is because of the blackberry pearl’s value that a mobile phone was named right after it.