Tour· Mangareva· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Buying Gambier Black Pearls
23° 7.3′ S · 134° 58.1′ W · approximate
The Gambier is reputed to have the most colourful, lustrous and reasonably priced Tahitian black pearls in French Polynesia, sold by home-based jewellers and farmers around Rikitea.
Practical
approx: placed in Rikitea village from the compendium's walking directions relative to the main dock and St Michael Cathedral (Wikipedia position); expect an error of up to about 300 m. Taina Pearl and Keishi Pearls: +689 87 76 26 79, tainapearlandkeishi@gmail.com. Fine pearl jewellery in silver and 18k gold, by appointment only, at a two-storey wooden house behind the Catholic monument where the street past St Michael dead-ends (2021). Eric, past St Michael on the right (small sign on the fence), has jewellery, loose pearls and an artefact collection; one buyer found his pearls imperfect yet very expensive. Mike at the pension (yellow house visible from the anchorage) sells loose pearls by appointment. Remy on Akamaru may have loose pearls. The artisan market and the College St Raphael shop sell carved shell. Sellers change often, so ask other cruisers. In 2010 Soggy Paws paid about US$350 for a necklace priced at US$5,000+ in the US. Some farmers say they are not allowed to sell direct.
Best for
Buying pearls at the source
Nearby
- Rikitea MechanicsRight here
- College St Raphael Carving School (Rikitea)0.1 NM away
- Gendarmerie Rikitea (Port of Entry)0.1 NM away
- King Maputeoa's Tomb (St Pierre Chapel, Rikitea)0.1 NM away
- Magasin Leille (Rikitea)0.1 NM away
- Magasin Terehere (Rikitea)0.1 NM away
- Pizzeria Aro (Rikitea)0.1 NM away
- Rikitea Artisan Market0.1 NM away