Are black pearls dyed?

Black freshwater pearls and Black Japanese Akoya pearls are color enhanced.

Please kindly note that in addition to the traditional white body color, freshwater pearl also comes in a rainbow of natural pastel colors such as lavender, pink, and every shade in between. However Freshwater pearl and Akoya pearls are NEVER naturally black – black freshwater/ Akoya pearls have undergone either Cobalt-60 treatment or treatment with an organic dye which permanently changed their color to black. The black color will still vary with different overtones because the pastel pearl color is different.

The pearl color that you receive may vary slightly from that shown in the picture. Pearls are playful with light, and depending on the light conditions you view them at, they will present a slightly different color - a fascinating phenomenon. We invite you to look at your pearl in bright sunlight, on a cloudy day and inside your home. The change of color you will see will surprise and amaze you.

We hope you enjoy the beauty of nature and its unique color spectrum that pearls offer, and if you are looking for naturally black pearls, then Tahitian pearls are the only pearls that are naturally black.