Cook Islands is blessed with one island that produces completely natural pearls . This is one of the few remaining types of natural pearls left in the world today. It grows in the enormous lagoon of the Cook Islands most isolated atoll, Penrhyn (or Tongareva), in the shell Pinctada maculata, the smallest pearl producing shell in the world. The pearl is seldom bigger than 8mm in diameter. beautiful, golden coloured Poe Pipi (natural pipi pearls) are found in perhaps the worlds smallest pearl producing mollusk, Pinctada Maculata.
Documented in the 1908 Industry Bible, ‘The Book of The Pearl’, (Kunze/Stevenson), the natural pearl beds of Penrhyn have historical significance. Collected since the 19th century, the pearl beds of Penrhyn have since suffered environmental harm.
Typical pearl sizes range from 2mm-6mm. A very limited amount of natural pearls are still found today. The colors of these pearls are generally white, cream, and gold of which the gold pearls command the highest price.
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