An oyster cage left at sea for ten years, a farmer who never came back for it, and a pile of "ugly" pearls April couldn't stop thinking about.
By April HigashiTahiti was never a place on my travel bucket list until I was invited to explore and learn about its pearl farms. And do you know what? It was dreamy! The food, dare I say, is better than the Hawaiian cuisine that I am used to. Spending time in Hawaii throughout my life, especially more recently, had led me to expect something similar. Colonized by France, Tahiti has heavy European influence mixed with as much fresh fish as you can eat. Tahiti does not allow commercial fishing, so those beautiful fish you see swimming in the reef? They are a regular item at the outside market and on the menu. I've never seen such a colorful array of market fish!
Tahiti only receives about 250 thousand tourists a year compared to 10 million in Hawaii. I was lucky enough to be guided and taken around the islands by my pearl dealer. Tahiti's pearl exportation is a strict, rule-following business, so you must know what you are doing when planning to bring pearls back. There are 118 islands and atolls, and out of those, about 23 cultivate pearls. Unlike standard islands, atolls are unique because they are made entirely of coral debris sitting on top of a submerged volcanic mountain, enclosing shallow lagoons. Atolls provide the perfect conditions for cultivating pearls, and many of them are hard to get to, serviced only by boats.
The atolls and lagoons where Tahitian pearls are farmed, many reachable only by boat.
Taxed, counted and carried by hand
Exporting pearls from Tahiti requires tax on each pearl along with a pile of paperwork. Each farmer needs to bring their pearls to the main island themselves for export. Now remember, many of them must charter planes and boats just to get to the main island, so they must be exporting large quantities to even make this worthwhile. Some of the smaller pearl farms producing beautiful pearls will not go to this trouble and only sell their pearls in Tahiti to tourists.
The government and the pearl farms consider many of the pearls with too many irregularities to be "junk." They want to keep up the standard and reputation of the Tahitian pearl's beauty, and that means perfection: a perfect, round shape and beautiful luster. While I do appreciate a perfect pearl, I love the weird and unusual flaws that occur during cultivation maybe even more.
What the flaws tell you
Every mark on a pearl is a record of how it grew.
- Rings
- An irritant, maybe sand, was stuck in the shell, and the pearl was turning round and round inside it while its nacre was building.
- Matte surface
- The water may not have been flowing through the shell, the water was not pristine, or the shells were not cleaned of algae build-up.
- Keshi
- The oyster spits out the nucleus, and the nacre bounces around and builds up on the mantle tissue, forming very organic shapes.
- Baroque
- Left longer in the water, or pressure inside the shell inhibits movement, so the nacre builds up irregularly. Pollutants can also shift its growth and direction.
A cage nobody claimed
On this trip, I heard a tale of THE FORGOTTEN PEARLS and was lucky enough to bring some back. The pearl farm I was staying at is one of the largest farms in Tahiti. That said, it is not huge, but Alfred, the owner and mayor of his island city, is well-known and respected around the island. He sleeps on the pier in a tiny, luxurious room that also contains his office, waking up to the sea and his pearl farm production every day.
A pearl farmer assigns only one person besides himself to know exactly where his oyster cages are dropped in the water. Even the divers are blindfolded when brought to the location for security reasons. The care and years put into tending to the oysters are expensive, and farmers want to maximize their harvest since they are looking only for their ideal of a perfect pearl.
A few months before we arrived, a cage was found that had GIANT shells when pulled up from the water. They estimated this cage had been left in the sea for over ten years. Most pearls are cultivated for just 3 to 4 years. Knowing that Alfred owned most of the shells in the waters of Taha'a, the fishermen came to him. But the cage was not his. He knew there was a small pearl farmer who had passed away ten years ago. They were his.
Alfred had the pearls! I heard about how weird they were and was dying to see them. I could tell by his reaction that he thought they were nothing. I kept bugging him to bring them out. He said in French, "C'est de la merde." I smiled, looked him straight in the eye, and said, "I want to see them. I will probably buy them all." He laughed and didn't think much of my request.
Days went by. The story mounted around the group I was with, and they wanted to see them too. After thinking about it, he finally brought them out. He would give any sales from these weird and terribly "ugly" pearls to the widow of the pearl farmer.
"I want to see them. I will probably buy them all."April, to Alfred
Like raku pottery
Unfortunately, I was not the only one who descended on the pile of Forgotten Pearls. And just as I expected, to me, THEY WERE AMAZING!
Some looked like raku pottery, with a combination of matte and shiny places, and little pits and rings in all sorts of odd places. Some were huge while others were medium, but they were all different, weird, and made my heart sing. I quickly grabbed and sorted my picks. When others saw how many I was taking, they quickly became more interested themselves. I jealously peered over their shoulders. Damn, some good ones got away from me.
What I love about these weirdo pearls is that each one is truly one of a kind. As a designer, you must figure out how to feature their flaws and accent their beauty. To me, it is much more of a rewarding design challenge to achieve. The perfection comes from the finished piece: the vision I have with my team to elevate these Forgotten Pearls that were neglected at sea.
The whole story makes me wonder about how many pearl cages get forgotten and are moving and growing in the seas of Tahiti. I am certain this is not the only one. I was persistent and lucky enough to see them and bring these rare gems home to SHIBUMI.
With that, I will share the first few pendants that have come from the collection of The Forgotten Pearls 2026.
The first pendants
Tahitian pearls from the forgotten cage, set by April in 18k yellow gold. Each one is the only one.
Pendant only; chain sold separately. More pieces coming from the bench.