ForMatter/Materials/gemstone/Tahitian Pearl (Cultured Saltwater)
mat_gem_pearl_tahitian

Tahitian Pearl (Cultured Saltwater)

biomineral (CaCO₃ aragonite + conchiolin), saltwater cultured pearl, dark-bodied · black pearl, South Sea black pearl, Pinctada margaritifera pearl
highlast updated 2026-04-27
metallic 0.00
hue shift +0°

Cultured saltwater pearl from the black-lipped oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) of French Polynesia — the only cultured pearl that is genuinely dark-bodied without dye. Larger than Akoya (typically 8–14 mm) with overtones that range across peacock-green, aubergine, silver-gray, and the classic deep dark gray. The cultural color identity of the South Pacific pearl trade since the 1970s.

Cultured pearl: bead nucleus implanted in P. margaritifera mantle, nacre layers accumulate over 18–24 months. Aragonite CaCO₃ platelets + conchiolin protein, identical layered structure to Akoya nacre but with darker host pigmentation that integrates into the laid-down nacre. Mohs 3.5. Specific gravity 2.71. The Tahitian government enforces minimum nacre-thickness standards for export-grade pearls.

mechanical

  • mohs_hardness3.5
  • specific_gravity2.71
source: GIA

optical

  • refractive_index1.53
source: GIA

Sustainability

  • embodied carbon kg co2e per pearl0.07
  • recyclabilityhigh
  • biodegradableTrue
  • certificationsGIE Perles de Tahiti origin certification
  • localityprimary culturing: French Polynesia (Tuamotu, Gambier, Society Islands)
visual
dark gray to black body with peacock / aubergine / silver overtones

PBR starter values

Principled BSDF defaults derived from the sphere pearlescent finish. Reasonable seed for Blender, Substance, Keyshot, Rhino — tune per material.

# finish:      pearlescent
albedo        #4a4858
metallic      0.00
roughness     0.35
ior           1.50
transmission  0.10
clearcoat     0.40
sheen         0.80
anisotropic   0.00
copy as JSON 
{
  "albedo": "#4a4858",
  "metallic": 0.0,
  "roughness": 0.35,
  "ior": 1.5,
  "transmission": 0.1,
  "clearcoat": 0.4,
  "sheen": 0.8,
  "anisotropic": 0.0
}
Blender 4.x Python 
# Blender 4.x — Principled BSDF
# Tahitian Pearl (Cultured Saltwater) · finish: pearlescent
import bpy
mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name="mat_gem_pearl_tahitian")
mat.use_nodes = True
bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
bsdf.inputs["Base Color"].default_value         = (0.0685, 0.0648, 0.0976, 1.0)
bsdf.inputs["Metallic"].default_value           = 0.000
bsdf.inputs["Roughness"].default_value          = 0.350
bsdf.inputs["IOR"].default_value                = 1.500
bsdf.inputs["Transmission Weight"].default_value = 0.100
bsdf.inputs["Coat Weight"].default_value        = 0.400
bsdf.inputs["Sheen Weight"].default_value       = 0.800
bsdf.inputs["Anisotropic"].default_value        = 0.000
KeyShot Python (lux) 
# KeyShot 11+ — lux Python API, Generic material
# Tahitian Pearl (Cultured Saltwater) · finish: pearlescent
# Run from Window → Scripting Console
import lux
mat = lux.createMaterial(name="mat_gem_pearl_tahitian", materialType="Generic")
mat.setProperty("diffuse",      (74, 72, 88))   # 8-bit sRGB
mat.setProperty("metallic",     0.000)
mat.setProperty("roughness",    0.350)
mat.setProperty("indexOfRefraction", 1.500)
mat.setProperty("transparency", 0.100)
mat.setProperty("coatingWeight", 0.400)
Substance pbrMetalRough 
{
  "_format": "Substance Designer / Painter \u2014 pbrMetalRough constants",
  "_about": "Tahitian Pearl (Cultured Saltwater) \u00b7 finish: pearlescent",
  "baseColor": {
    "r": 0.0685,
    "g": 0.0648,
    "b": 0.0976
  },
  "metallic": 0.0,
  "roughness": 0.35,
  "ior": 1.5,
  "opacity": 0.9,
  "anisotropyLevel": 0.0,
  "_notes": "Channels listed are the standard Substance pbrMetalRough output. Drop into a Uniform Color node per channel, or as the constant input on a layered stack."
}
glTF 2.0 Metallic-Roughness 
{
  "asset": {
    "version": "2.0",
    "generator": "ForMatter"
  },
  "materials": [
    {
      "name": "mat_gem_pearl_tahitian",
      "pbrMetallicRoughness": {
        "baseColorFactor": [
          0.0685,
          0.0648,
          0.0976,
          1.0
        ],
        "metallicFactor": 0.0,
        "roughnessFactor": 0.35
      },
      "extensions": {
        "KHR_materials_transmission": {
          "transmissionFactor": 0.1
        },
        "KHR_materials_clearcoat": {
          "clearcoatFactor": 0.4
        },
        "KHR_materials_sheen": {
          "sheenColorFactor": [
            1.0,
            1.0,
            1.0
          ],
          "sheenRoughnessFactor": 0.8
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}
USD Preview Surface 
# USD Preview Surface — UsdShade.MaterialLook prim attributes
# Tahitian Pearl (Cultured Saltwater) · finish: pearlescent
def Material "mat_gem_pearl_tahitian" {
    token outputs:surface.connect = </mat_gem_pearl_tahitian/PreviewSurface.outputs:surface>

    def Shader "PreviewSurface" {
        uniform token info:id = "UsdPreviewSurface"
        color3f inputs:diffuseColor = (0.0685, 0.0648, 0.0976)
        float   inputs:metallic     = 0.000
        float   inputs:roughness    = 0.350
        float   inputs:ior          = 1.500
        float   inputs:opacity      = 0.900
        float   inputs:clearcoat    = 0.400
        token   outputs:surface
    }
}
↓ download glTF material
Substitutes
Akoya Pearl (Cultured Saltwater)

Citations