Paspaley Australian South SEA pEARLS
Over the course of fifty years, we have unlocked the secret of creating superior pearls. Mimicking nature as closely as possible, there are five stages within the pearl cultivation process.
1. Diving
Our pearling process begins with the careful harvesting of the Pinctada maxima oyster. Off the remote shores of Australia’s Kimberley coast, Paspaley divers handpick each wild oyster. The selected wild oysters are then returned to a 'nursery' on an open patch of ocean floor, awaiting the all-important seeding procedure. A strictly limited number of oysters may be harvested at any one time, ensuring long-term sustainability of the industry.
2. Seeding
With artful precision, our technicians delicately seed each oyster, planting a polished sphere made from mussel shell to encourage the creation of nature’s gem, the Australian South Sea Pearl. The state of the art pearling vessel, MV Paspaley 4, is home to this complex process. Once seeded, the oyster is returned to the deep and nurtured to thrive over a 2-3 year period.
3. Husbandry
Our pearlers nurture each oyster for a 2-3 year period. During this time, the oysters absorb the nutrients of the pristine waters, shaping each pearl to be as unique and beautiful as possible.
4. Harvest
The moment of reveal, harvest season is abuzz with excitement. The oysters are raised from the ocean and returned to the Paspaley fleet, where our technicians delicately open the shell to reveal its creation – unknown until that very moment. Oysters that produce a high quality Paspaley pearl are seeded again for another harvest.
5. Grading
Our highly accomplished pearl graders assess each pearl individually, meticulously scrutinising each one with respect to The Five Virtues: Lustre, complexion, shape, colour and size. A combination of these virtues determines the value of each Paspaley pearl. Only the most beautiful pearls are handpicked for our designs.