South Sea pearls are the world's largest cultured pearls, ranging from 8.0mm to 16.0mm in size, and are famous for their natural colors and glowing luster. White South Sea pearls are grown in Australia, and are known for their bright, silvery-white colors, while Golden South Sea pearls are from the Philippines and Indonesia. Our South Sea pearl jewelry includes necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets and rings, all handmade to order at our Los Angeles workshop.
Learn More: South Sea Pearls 101 - Buying Guide
South Sea pearl price can range from $400 for a single baroque pearl on leather necklace up to $299,000+ for our largest, highest AAAA quality White South Sea pearl necklaces. South Sea pearl earrings can range from $800 for 7.0-8.0mm gold pearl studs up to $6,700+ for our largest 14.0-15.0mm Golden pearl stud earrings, while White South Sea pearl earrings start at $1,160 for popular 9.0-10.0mm studs, through $9,380 for our highest quality 15.0mm earrings. South Sea pearl necklace price begins at $3,150 for baroque strands up to $150,000+ for perfectly round, highly lustrous 18.0mm Golden South Sea pearl necklaces, or even higher with White South Sea pearls price depending on the size of the necklace. South Sea pearl pendants start at $770, and South Sea pearl jewelry sets start around $10,000 and can go up depending on size and quality, although bespoke sets can be made upon request. South Sea pearl pricing depends heavily on pearl size, which escalates prices dramatically with each millimeter increase; luster, color and surface quality also count.
Read More: How Much Do Pearls Cost?
The best place to buy South Sea pearls is with a vendor who clearly states that they only sell naturally colored South Sea pearls, can confidently tell you where their pearls come from, has a published grading system, and offers an open return window. Our White South Sea pearls are sourced directly from Australia's coastal farms, while our golden pearls are sourced from the Philippines, with every pearl selected for its natural color that is never treated or artificially enhanced. Customers looking for Philippine South Sea pearls don't need to shop in Manila: we source directly from the Philippines and ship from the United States. We grade our natural South Sea pearls from AA+ to AAAA using our easy to understand grading scale, then individually double-knot our necklaces using traditional silk so we can create made-to-order jewelry with solid 14kt gold in our Los Angeles workshop. If you're wondering where to buy South Sea pearls, at Pearls of Joy we offer transparent grading, a 100-Day Return and Exchange Guarantee, and free FedEx shipping from the USA. Browse our South Sea pearls for sale to compare sizes, colors, grades, and styles before choosing.
Read More: Pearl Grading
South Sea pearls are the most valuable pearls in the world because they are the largest cultured pearls of any pearl type, with the thickest nacre layers due to extended growth periods lasting between 2-4 years inside their host oyster. They are also the rarest cultured pearls with the smallest harvest volume of any pearl type, with oysters only producing a single pearl at a time.
Yes, South Sea pearls are naturally colored and develop their beautiful white or golden hues from two varieties of the Pinctada maxima oyster without any treatment or color enhancement. White South Sea pearls come from silver-lipped oysters cultivated primarily in Australia, while Golden South Sea pearls are grown in gold-lipped oysters found in Philippine and Indonesian waters.
Read More: Pearl Colors Guide
South Sea pearls range from 8.0-16.0mm and rarely, even larger, making them the largest pearls in the world due to the massive Pinctada maxima oyster that produces them. The most common sizes are 10.0-13.0mm for luxury pearl necklaces, and 9.0-12.0mm for most pearl earring styles.
Read More: Pearl Size Guide
Australia grows White South Sea pearls with exceptional silver-white color, quality and luster in the silver-lipped Pinctada maxima saltwater pearl oyster. The Philippine Islands and Indonesia farm Golden South Sea pearls using the gold-lipped Pinctada maxima variety; Philippine South Sea pearls are famous for their deep, saturated gold colors, while Indonesia produces paler, more creamy-colored pearls.
Read More: South Sea Pearl Buying Guide
Both White and Golden South Sea pearls are cultured in different varieties of the same saltwater pearl oyster, Pinctada maxima. The silver-lipped P. maxima oyster produces white pearls with silver to pink overtones, while golden pearls are grown in the gold-lipped P. maxima oyster, creating pearls ranging from pale champagne to deep 24K golden tones.
Always put your pearls on last after hairspray and perfumes are applied, then be sure to wipe your pearls down with a soft, slightly damp cloth after wearing them to remove oils and residues. Restring pearls every 1-2 years to maintain secure silk knotting, and store your pearls away from hard gemstones or sharp metal edges to avoid scratching the pearl's surfaces.
Learn More: Pearl Care Guide
Yes, we do sell South Sea pearl jewelry sets in both White and Golden South Sea pearls; our pearl jewelry sets are matched by hand for color and overtone, size, luster and pearl quality, so each set appears balanced and intentional. Prices will vary depending on the necklace you choose; we will custom match earrings and bracelets with pearls sourced from the same lots for a perfect match.
Yes, we sell baroque and drop-shaped South Sea pearl necklaces in white, golden and a multi-colored mix of both, starting at $3,150. Baroque pearl necklaces are an excellent choice for buyers who want large South Sea pearl necklace looks for significantly less than perfectly round strands due to their unique shapes.
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