The Tahitian Pearl Legend
Many legends were created about the pearls and the Tahitian pearls. The last one was a Polynesian one:
"Polynesian mythology cites Tahitian pearls as the first cases of light, which were given by the Creator to Tane, God of harmony and beauty. This latter illuminated the vault of heaven with their light, and their forms and brightness inspired him to create the stars. Tane then brought them to Rua Hatu, God of the ocean in order for him to lighten his domain. Oro, tutelary divinity of war and peace, working for Tane, entrusted human women who he coveted to conceive his descendants, with the first pearls, as love token. At the achievement of his work, he gave "Te ufi", pearl oyster, to humans in memory of his voyage on earth. Ever since, the pearl oyster "Te ufi", Pinctada margaritifera - cumingi specie", thrives in French polynesia's lagoons. In the Polynesian culture, the first two mythical pearls, which were given to a princess on earth by Oro, tutelary. God of war and peace, were «Poe Rava», the extraordinary «Peacock» and «Poe Konini», the sculptural circled pearl. Both of them testify the primitive origins of the Tahitian pearl. Poe Konini wears the solidified rings of Saturn.

It is also said that Okana and Uaro, the spirits of Coral and Sand, both adorned Te Ufi with a glistening cloak with the colors of all the fishes in the ocean. For thousands of years the glory of the heavens come to rest in the secret hollow of the iridescent mother-of-pearl, as a gift from the sky to the sea. Romantic legend tells how the moon bathes the ocean in its light to attract the oysters to the surface so that it may impregnate them with heavenly dew. The drop of light, polished by time, holds the heavenly radiance within its heart and cloaks itself in a garment with blue, green, pink and golden reflections that shine and blend in harmony.

According to modern legend, Tahitian pearl come from a flaw in nature : a grain of sand entered on an oyster's delicate flesh; the mother-of-pearl covers up the intruder and forms the roundness of the pearl. Rocked by the waves, the pearl is unique and beautiful, like the loved one in the Song of Solomon.

The Tahitian pearl has become the symbol of Hope in men's wounded heart."

Nacre or mother of pearl
The word "Nacre", comes from the Persian word « nakkar » and means « that which is beautiful and shimmering ». The Pinctada margaritifera, the queen of the lagons in Tahiti & her islands, dates back to antiquity. Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist wrote about this Nacre in his one surviving work, « Historia naturalis », describing it as « an exceptional animal because one can find in its cavity  a mysterious jewel – the Pearl ». Greeks and Romans used the word « margarita » as a synonym for purity, margaritifera meaning « one who brings purity ».

The Tahitian Myth
The first men coming from Asia to what is today French polynesia discovered that « Nacre » was in such great quantity that it was difficult to walk along the beaches. Mother of pearl was exploited in those atolls and islands during  the 19th and 20th centuries mainly to make buttons. So Tahiti’s pearl Oyster shell, the Pinctada margaritifera, variety cumingi, was prized for its large size and abundant quantity. The harvesting in those days was a specialty of Tahitian divers. During their dives from their coral reef platforms and in the lagons, they occasionally discovered a natural pearl, a pearl that had grown naturally Inside an Oyster shell without man’s intervention. This miracle of nature remains the exception, rather than the rule, since only one natural pearl is found in some 15000 pearl oysters. Talk of Tahiti’s pearls began in the 20th Century, but only a very small number of persons actually saw one. It’s rarity is what created its value, and the few know pearls at the time decorated only royal jewelry, like the famous « Azra », a natural Tahitian pearl found in the center of the crown of the Russian Czars. The pearl was a real myth.

The biological role of the oyster in the creation of a pearl
Oysters have developed a perfectly natural defense system against any foreign intruder. Helped by their mantle (which covers their flesh like a skin) they have an elegant defensive reaction if the intruder is none other than mineral or organic, isolated by a layer of pure nacre. The resulting pearl that is born is therefore the result of the most elegant protective mechanism ever conceived by a living being against an outside aggressor.

The Pearl farms
Locate more than 1000 kilimeters (621 miles) frim Tahiti, the farms communicate regularly with Tahiti headquarters and with each other, sharing their experience.

The 5 steps of Pearl farming

Collecting: The Pinctada margaritifera oyster lives naturally in French Polynesia's lagoons, attached to the coral by its byssus, a tuft of long tough filaments. Once the eggs are fertilized they give birth to larva or young oyster.

Breeding: Young oyster are naturally collected, removed and then placed on underwater breeding supports that become breeding stations.

Grafting: The grafting of a pearl oyster is similar to what nature does. A foreign object is introduced into the oyster, whose first reaction is to try to reject the intruder, whether it be nature's grain of sand or parasite, or man's nucleus. The grafting is an extremely delicate operation. Besides the nucleus, the grafter places inside the host oyster a graft, which is a small piece of the mantle from a donor oyster.

Culturing: Among 1,000 grafted oysters, some reject the nucleus, while others simply do not survive. After two years of culturing, some 500 pearls are harvested. Only half of those pearls have a commercial value, including only some 20 pearls that can be considered perfect. Under the best circumstances, the oyster covers the nucleus with nacre that is one to three millimetres thick, the actual amount depending on the health and nature of the oyster. Each resulting pearl has a different size, shape and colour.

Harvesting: If the harvested oyster is healthy and the grafter considers the resulting cultured pearl of very good quality, a second grafting is done. The sorting is an extremely important stage in the evaluation of each harvest. Robert Wan is always present when there's a harvest at one of his pearl farms.

The Robert Wan Pearl Charter
Each pearl is unique. A pearl’s creation doesn’t reveal all of the pearl’s secrets. Although its creation is genetically programmed, certain exterior events can produce some differences. These additional factor scan be positive - producing exceptional sizes or colors - or negative - producing surface flaws such as tiny holes, scratches and lack of luster. Why are there such factors ? The team of researches working with Robert Wan are very carefully studying all stages of the pearl’s creation to try  and find answers, hoping to maybe give nature a bit of help. Among the elements that man cannot control is the failure of a grafting. But the oyster’s rejection of the foreign intruder - the nucleus - can result in the birth of a keshi, a kind of natural pearl, usually baroque in shape, that is 100 per cent mother of pearl in substance. Keshi are very beautiful and much appreciated among pearl and jewelry connoisseurs. Pearls sell for different prices taht dépend on their size, shape and color. But the choice is a very personal one, particularly motivated by personal taste, skin complexion and hari color. And there is at least one pearl for every woman.

Quality : Robert Wan Tahitian Cultured pearl receive no treatment aimed at artificially improving their quality. Robert Wan totally rejects the practices of some pearl producers or dealers who polish pearls, dip them in chemical solutions, dye their color and heat the pearls. All his pearls are naturally color, free from all artificial treatments.

Research : The culturing of Tahitian pearls is an activity closely linked to nature and all of her whims. Due to man’s power of observation, Robert Wan and his team discovered Small ways of nudging nature in the right direction. They thus tried to help nature produce the most beautiful Tahitian pearls possible.

Environment : Tahitian Cultured pearls are born in the lagoon and no substance, no food, no product are rejected from pearl farms to the lagoon. The ecological environment for the oysters has remained the same for thousand years. The lagoons’ natural equilibrium is fragile and Robert Wan respects that. In 2009, Robert Wan has obtained a BIO Certification.

Tahitian Cultured pearls are considered to be among the finest gems in the world. To fully appreciate their beauty, it is necessary to understand the following criteria which are as rigorous and precise as those determining the value of a diamond :

• Luster : The reflection of the light on the surface of the pearl. It makes the surface shine and gives it its brillance.
• Orient : The way which mother of pearl reflects and splits the light throught aragonite crystals secreted round the nucleus. It is guarantee of a great quality pearl.
• Surface : The marks of gestation, such as tiny streaks of sand or depressions that make each pearl unique.
• Size : The smallest pearls stemming from black lips of the Pinctada margaritifera are 8mm in diameter. But the majority of the produced pearls range from 9mm to 12mm. Pearls beyond 13mm are considered rare but it is a Robert Wan’s specific.
• Color : Despite their name « Black Pearls », these pearls are not necessarily black. The basic blakc or grey of the Tahitian Cultured pearls gives rises to a mltitude of tones  from an amazing palette of tints and the most atonishing hues : Cherry, Peacock, Blue, Tahitian Silver, Tahitian Gold, … Personal taste will remain your ultimate consideration.
• Shape : The shape of a pearl depends both on the bilogical factors of the environment and on the specific nature of the mother of pearl. Perfectly round and symmetrical pearls are the rarest and most outstanding. They represent a maximum of 5% of the harvest.
• Matching : What can be more beautiful than a pearl. Two or several pearls which seem alike. But because each pearl is unique, pearls are extremely difficult to match. Prized necklaces of pearls take several years and harvest to complete.