Loose Golden South Sea Pearls

Golden South Sea pearls are produced by the gold-lipped variety of Pinctada maxima, cultured mainly in the Philippines and Indonesia, where the oyster's golden nacre lip gives the pearl its colour. The colour here is natural body colour — from light golden (champagne) to deeper golden — not dyed or irradiated, which matters because treated “golden” pearls trade at a fraction of natural-colour prices. This collection currently holds 6 loose pearls, sold individually: a 10–11mm round AAA, an 11.7mm semi-round, a 12mm semi-round Grade 1, a 15mm round with high luster, and two 11mm drop shapes in light golden. Prices run from $182 to $520 per pearl, scaling with size, depth of colour and surface grade — a 15mm round golden commands roughly three times the price of a 10–11mm. Loose golden South Sea pearls are most often bought for solitaire pendants and rings, where a single pearl carries the design. Each pearl ships with its certificate stating species, size and natural colour, so you can verify exactly what you are setting.

Want to compare against white? See the full loose South Sea pearl collection, or read what makes a South Sea pearl golden.