South Sea Golden Cultured Pearls are like sunshine, reflecting their beauty and warmth onto the skin of the lucky person who wears them. Like all saltwater pearls, they are formed inside a living ocean organism – in this case, an oyster, making them one of the most organic treasures of the sea.

With a wide color range of the richest and most beautiful hues, Assael’s Golden South Sea Pearls have a deep luminosity that exudes warmth and sophistication. Let’s take a look at some of the important things to know about what we call the “sunshine gem” – color, origin, and quality.

COLORS of South Sea Golden Pearls

Several shades of South Sea Golden Pearls

Golden South Sea Cultured Pearls come in a range of hues from pale champagne to deep intense gold. The more intense the gold color, generally speaking, the more valuable the pearl, if all of the other value factors are similar. But color is often a matter of personal preference. Those deep, intense gold hues are sometimes referred to as “24 karat” and are the most highly prized.

Colorful South Sea Golden Pearls really add radiance to any outfit. They also layer beautifully with other white pearls or colorful pearls, and with gold jewelry. Lovers of yellow gold will especially appreciate the unique beauty of Golden South Seas. They look fabulous with many skin tones, as well.

ORIGIN of South Sea Golden Pearls

Clockwise from Upper Left – Assael Golden South Sea Pearl, Yellow Jadeite and Yellow Diamond Earrings, Assael South Sea Golden Pearl Triple Strand Bracelet with Natural Turquoise and Yellow Diamond Clasp, Assael Golden South Sea Pearl, Imperial Topaz and Dendritic Agate earrings, Assael Golden South Sea Pearl Earrings with Blue Green Tourmaline   

South Sea Golden Pearls form in the medium-sized, gold lipped oyster from the genus Pinctada Maxima (a similar larger variety of this oyster produces the White South Sea Pearl). This oyster produces larger pearls than other saltwater pearl varieties; however, golden pearls tend to be a little bit smaller than White South Seas. The golden color on the lip of the oyster determines the color of the pearls as they form inside.

Golden South Sea Pearls hail from Indonesia and the Philippines, from warmer, more southern waters than their South Sea White Pearl counterparts.

QUALITY of South Sea Golden Pearls

Clockwise from Upper Left – Chanel Cruise 2021-2022 Collection, Sunset, Assael Triple Strand Golden South Sea Cultured Pearl Necklace with Natural Turquoise and Yellow Diamond Clasp, Close up of Golden, Tahitian and South Sea Pearl strands

The quality of South Sea Golden Cultured Pearls is determined in much the same way as White South Sea Pearls. The factors affecting pearl quality are size, luster and nacre thickness, surface cleanliness and shape.

Size – Larger pearls take longer to form, approximately two to four years or more, increasing the pearl farmer’s investment because the oysters must be protected and maintained in the ocean for the duration of pearl formation. For this reason, larger sizes tend to also be rarer. The bigger the pearl, generally speaking, the higher the value, all other factors being equal.

Luster/Nacre Thickness – The thicker the nacre of the pearl, the more luster the pearl will have.  The oyster naturally wraps the pearl with layer upon layer of nacre as it forms over the years. The deeper that nacre, the more of a reflection the pearl enjoys on its surface. The beautiful reflection of light creates the lovely glow or luster for which pearls are famous.

Surface Cleanliness – Similar to all other pearl varieties, Golden South Sea Pearls that are blemish-free with smooth clean complexions are the most highly prized. The surface cleanliness allows the luster of the pearl to be fully appreciated.

Shape and Matching – Shape is another important factor in the value of pearls. Perfectly round golden pearls are the most highly prized, but baroque (non-round) goldens are also valued for the beauty of their organic shapes. Matching golden pearls to form a strand or a pair of earrings can be time-consuming and often requires collecting and saving pearls before they can be strung by professionals to form a beautiful necklace. The process and the amount of time it takes to match a gem strand is impressive. It is an investment of patience, passion, and expertise because the pearls must be matched according to ALL of the value factors.

The perfect gems for that carefree feeling of summer, Golden South Sea Pearls bring warmth and sophistication to any fashion ensemble. They also make an elegant addition to a luxury fine jewelry wardrobe. Assael Senior Vice President Peggy Grosz says it best: “South Sea Golden Pearls bring sunshine to the skin and the face. They also glow beautifully with many other gems in your jewelry box.”

Feature image at top – Clockwise from Upper Left – Assael Fancy Yellow Diamond and Golden South Sea Pearl Earrings, Assael Golden South Sea Pearl and Rutilated Quartz Ring, Assael Golden South Sea Cultured Pearl Necklace, Manning Cartell Australian Fashion Week 2021, L’Amour Jacquemus S/S 2021, Madalina Diana Ghenea at Vogue Italia Cocktail Party Milan Fashion Week 

If you like this, you might also like:

A Global Guide to South Sea Pearls

Why are South Sea Pearls So Valuable?

A Brief History of Tahitian Pearls

Introduction to Pearls – Understanding Nacreous and Non Nacreous Pearls