Black Pearls

The Cook Islands are famous for their salt water black pearls. The women here mark their wealth by the size and number of these shimmering dark grey pearls around their necks. The pearls are graded on their size, shape, colouring and perfection. There are pearl shops dotted around the Island and you can also buy them from stalls in the market.

They have baskets side by side with pearls ranging in price from $5 through to $300 each!

You wouldn't want to pick one out and forget which basket it came from!

Rhiannon and Sian after much deliberation at the souvenir keyring/pen/paperweight stalls finally decided to buy some black pearls as mementos and gifts for their special friends in Australia.

I asked Rhiannon if I could take a photo of her pearls when we got home to our house. She was very suspicious of whether I would lose them or not so I had to promise her $10 each per lost pearl. That is double what she paid for them so she agreed with a grin on her face.

I am now a nervous wreck and need to get back to our house to lock them in the safety deposit box before I misplace them!