Pearl Paradise

As you approach the crystal-clear blue lagoons in a small private plane, you see a lush, sun-drenched, romantic vision, just what any honeymooner would expect the South Sea paradise of Tahiti to look like. There is unbelievably white sand, intensely blue water and swaying coconut palm trees, but the calm waves are deceptive: Beneath those warm waters, a thriving "underground" business takes place. But Tahiti - one of more than 100 islands and atolls that make up French Polynesia in the South Pacific - is more than a vacation destination. This jewel-like island also happens to be the thriving epicenter of production for the lustrous, shiny orbs known as Tahitian black pearls. These pearls, in fact, are the second most important industry in French Polynesia, after tourism - a $100 million business!

View our elegant "Pearl Jewelry"