Blue Pearls - New Zealand's Unique Gem

Many of our Blue Pearl creations are unique, handcrafted pieces. While we are delighted to recreate these designs, please note that the prices listed may no longer be current. We stock a wide range of loose Blue pearls and can source other pearls within 2-4days. Most designs can be crafted in various metal combinations. Feel free to reach out with your specifications, and we will gladly provide you with an updated quote.

What are the different Grades & Colours of Blue Pearls?

Colours

Blue pearls exhibit a wide array of colours, including various shades of blue and green, gold and pink, with occasional splashes of red and violet. They come in both bright, vibrant tones and soft, subtle hues. This colour variation lends each pearl a unique character, with an infinite number of combinations possible. These pearls possess a vibrant chameleon-like quality; their colours shifting as they catch the light. When worn with various coloured garments, watch these beauties come alive, making certain shades pop like they’re ready for the spotlight!
Paua consume various seaweeds, which can influence the outcome of the colour of the pearl each blend of brown, red, and green seaweeds are rich in diverse nutrients and contribute to the magnificent spectrum of colours in each blue pearl.

Grades

The Blue Pearl Grading System evaluates pearls based on various factors, including size, shape, lustre, surface quality, and colour.
At Jewel Beetle, we offer two brands of Blue Pearls, both cultivated under the umbrella of Eyris Blue Pearls. Eyris Blue pearls farm their pearls off the coast of Akaroa in New Zealand's south island.
Eyris pearls are graded 'Select Gem', 'Gem' or 'A' grade.
Pacific Blue pearls are graded 'B', 'Mystique' and 'C' grade pearls.

Eyris Pearls
Every Eyris branded pearl has a completely traceable history, thanks to a unique ID number assigned during cultivation. This number contains information about the pearl's journey, including its place and date of cultivation. Pearls classified as 'Select Gem' and 'Gem' grade come with a Certificate Brochure that documents these details for the owner. This brochure not only helps purchasers understand the value of their pearl but can also be utilized for insurance or valuation purposes.

Pacific Blue Pearls
Blue Pearls that fall short of the premium standards required to be classified as ‘Eyris’ pearls are known as ‘Pacific Blue Pearls’. Despite this distinction, these pearls are still stunning, and we have crafted numerous pieces in sterling silver using B grade and Mystique pearls.
These pearls are categorized as B grade, Mystique, or C grade Pearls.
A 'B' grade pearl typically has a surface that is not entirely smooth and may display noticeable texture. Its lustre can range from mirror-like to soft, and there may be some surface imperfections. Additionally, the colour may not be as vibrant or striking as that of 'Gem' or 'A' grade pearls.

What is Paua / Abalone?

At Jewel Beetle, we adore making blue pearl jewellery and as Nelson's stockist for Eyris Blue pearls, we're often asked lots of questions by customers intrigued by this unique and enchanting gem. So we've dedicated this informative blog for you to learn more.

Blue pearls are Mabé (or Blister)  pearls that are cultivated in the New Zealand variety of the abalone shell, the Haliotis Iris, commonly known in New Zealand as the Paua Shell.

According to Māori Mythology, early Paua did not have a shell, and Tangaroa, the god of the sea, took pity on it and created a wonderful colourful coat that sparkled and dazzled with beauty. You can read more of this lovely story Tangaroa's Gift written for children by Dr.Mere Whaanga-Schollum.

What is Paua / Abalone?

The Abalone is a marine gastropod mollusc or in everyday language a sea snail famous for its incredible variety of iridescent colours.
The most colourful species of all single-shelled, univalve saltwater molluscs,  the Abalone (Paua)  is found in rocky cold coastal waters all around the world. It moves very slowly and rarely ventures further than 100m during its lifetime. From the Coast of California all the way up to Alaska, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, some cooler Asian regions and South Africa.

How do Blue Pearls form?

Naturally formed Abalone pearls are extremely rare. Studies found that only 1 in every 500,000 to 900,000 Abalone produces a pearl. This process can take between 8 to 10 years. A pearl is formed by an irritant entering the shell of the Oyster or Abalone activating a defence mechanism to protect itself from the irritant by creating multiple layers of nacre over the irritant. Natural Abalone pearls are often very brittle and cracked making them unsuitable for Jewellery. Pearl farms create cultured pearls, with ideal conditions, in approximately 24 to 36 months.

Kokichi Mikimoto started the now-famous cultured pearl industry in 1890 by using Oysters to cultivate round pearls. Since then various attempts have been made at cultivating spherical pearls in the Abalone but with limited success.

New Zealand with its magnificently multi-coloured iridescent Paua has also seen a few pearl cultivating ventures. Sadly no one succeeded in creating round pearls which would have been a truly epic achievement. They did however succeed in creating stunning half-round Mabé pearls.

How are Blue Pearls cultivated?

At Jewel Beetle, we source our blue pearls exclusively from Eyris Pearls because of their consistent quality and dedication to creating the highest quality pearls. The cultivation process we describe here is as described by Eyris Pearls.
In New Zealand, the Paua is in decline and a strict quote system has been put in place for sustainable fishing. Divers are only allowed to 'free' dive for Paua with no underwater breathing apparatus. Only free divers are permitted to collect them in limited numbers and sizes. The Paua is brought on board a specially developed pearling vessel to avoid the mollusc being out of the water for too long.

The nucleation process is very delicate as the Paua is haemophiliac, meaning the slightest cut can cause the Paua to bleed and since it doesn’t have the ability to clot the blood it will simply bleed to death.
To relax the Paua they are submerged in lukewarm water and while careful not to injure the Paua a small domed piece of shell created especially for this process gets placed in between the Paua and the shell. The Paua then gets returned to a barrel where it will regularly get checked and fed until harvesting time some 2 to 3 years later.

The Paua is then moved to the ‘Pearl farm’ where it remains in a barrel with lots of other Paua. They will receive regular fresh seaweed and cleaning to keep them in pristine condition for the next 3 years to achieve the right thickness of pearl nacre.
The first Eyris pearl farm was located in the Chatham Islands but more recently they have been concentrating on their farming operation in Akaroa harbour.

Did you know that the amazing spectrum of colours of the blue pearl depends not only on their genetics but on the seaweed and kelp it eats?

Can the Paua be re-used for cultivating more pearls like oysters?

Sadly, no. The pearl is attached to the shell and needs to be cut free from the shell. Nothing gets wasted though. The Paua gets used for consumption, the leftover shell is used for buttons and inlay, craft or commercial use. Even the guts are used again for fish bait - yuck!
Harvesting time is an exciting time as you won’t know what beauty each Paua is hiding in its shell. If there is only a 1 in 2000 chance of a Gem-grade pearl, you can imagine the excitement when you peel back the Paua to reveal such a  magnificent perfect pearl. Probably like a child finding a big chocolate Easter egg in the backyard!

Paua also gets used as an inlay for eyes in traditional Māori wood carvings, representing stars, thought to be your ancestors’ eyes looking down at you from the sky.

What makes a perfect Blue Pearl?

Eyris pearls have a unique grading system on a scale from Select Gem with perfect colour, lustre and shape to Mystique and C Grade pearls. At Jewel Beetle, we often use A grade, B grade and Mystique grade pearls in our Blue Pearl Jewellery Collection

Mystique pearls are basically like an A grade pearl with high colour and lustre and a large spectrum of colours but with a slightly dark line of the conchiolin showing.

Finding matching pearl colours to create a pair of earrings can be tricky sometimes as the colour combinations are basically infinite.

We have fallen in love with the beauty of these pearls and are proud to be Nelson’s Stockist for Eyris Pearls. We often take our customers around the shop and outside to show how the colour spectrum changes in different light conditions.

How durable is a pearl?

Pearls are organic and quite soft with a hardness of 2.5 -3.5 on the Mohs scale. Its material is basically calcium Carbonate. They are also sensitive to heat, perfume, sunscreen, acids and humidity.

As jewellers, we have to be careful when working with pearls and will often cover them to protect them from damage.

We always advise our customers when getting dressed to put their jewellery on last to protect the pearls from creams, perfume and hair products.

When purchasing a Blue Pearl at Jewel Beetle you will also receive a special storage box for your special piece to protect it from direct sunlight. You are most welcome to return to our shop for a complimentary clean of your special piece to make sure it stays as beautiful as the day you took it home. Should you, however, wish to clean it yourself we urge you to be extremely careful and only use a very mild soapy wool wash but preferably if you are unable to return it to us take it to your nearest manufacturing jeweller for a  professional clean.

Below is a slideshow gallery of some of the beautiful jewellery we've created with Eyris Blue pearls over the years. Browse our collection Blue Pearl Jewellery online or contact us if you would like to select a pearl and have a unique piece of Blue Pearl jewellery made especially for you.

Many of our creations are unique, handcrafted pieces. While we are delighted to recreate these designs, please note that the prices listed may no longer be current. We can source a wide range of pearls and gemstones, and most designs can be crafted in various metal combinations. Feel free to reach out with your specifications, and we will gladly provide you with an updated quote. info@jewelbeetle.co.nz

Taxes

Our Prices only include relevant New Zealand Taxes of 15% GST.  Applicable Taxes and Duties for Countries other than New Zealand are your responsibility, as are any clearance fees associated with importation. Most countries have a minimum threshold under which tax and duty are not collected. This varies from country to country, but small orders will normally incur no added importation costs. 

Insurance

Within New Zealand all parcels are tracked and insured. 

Outside New Zealand, Economy shipping is not Tracked or Insured. Only Economy Tracked, Courier, and Express parcels are Tracked and insured. See the Table below for Shipping cost and insurance value. If in doubt don’t hesitate to contact us prior to placing your order and we will be happy to clarify.

Your postal address

Please ensure you provide us with the correct postal address. We cannot be held responsible for lost items should your address be incorrect or incomplete.

Shipping

Domestic: Non-rural shipping within New Zealand is free. An additional $5 will be charged for rural deliveries. 

International: We ship to most destinations around the world, if in doubt please contact us prior to placing your order.  

Tax can be deducted at the checkout for Economy Tracked, Courier and Express parcels only. Just type  NO TAX  in the discount code box.

At Jewel Beetle, we are happy to offer an exchange or refund* on your jewellery if you are not entirely happy with your purchase. However, we do not refund items that are custom made, or from Sale or Clearance.

Custom made jewellery is only accepted for sizing and minor modifications should they be possible. Please contact us and we will do our best to come to a satisfactory arrangement.


To be eligible for a refund we require you to:


Contact us (info@jewelbeetle.co.nz) within 21 days of receipt of goods.

Jewellery must be returned unworn and in its original packaging.
Refunds will be made once jewellery has been received back in our workshop minus postage cost unless otherwise arranged with Jewel Beetle.
Exchanges will be sent out immediately upon return of jewellery if stock is available. Postage will be at customer’s expense unless otherwise agreed by Jewel Beetle.

Safety of returned jewellery is at the customers risk until they have been received by Jewel Beetle. We strongly suggest a tracked courier service is used.

When labelling the parcel please do not write “Jewel” or “Jewellery” anywhere on the package.

Please address parcels to:
J Beetle,
56 Bridge Street,
Nelson 7010
(T: 03-5480487)

At Jewel Beetle we have a very high standard of manufacture and check each item before it leaves the workshop, however in the unlikely event of a workmanship defect we offer a lifetime guarantee. Please contact us soon as possible, we will endeavour to replace or repair the item for you. Our guarantee does not cover any defect arising from fair wear and tear, willful damage, negligence, abnormal working conditions, failure to follow our instructions, misuse, or any alteration or repair of the Goods not authorized by us.

We shall not be liable under warranty for chains that are supplied with pendants as we do not manufacture these. If our supplier deems the chain to be faulty, we will however repair or replace them.

We believe that we accurately describe the products in our online store and that the photos of our individual pieces of jewellery display the colour with a reasonable degree of accuracy. However, our jewellery is handmade and slight differences may occur on some items due to the nature of our handmade manufacturing process. Also, the colour that you see on your computer screen depends on a number of factors including the colour quality of the computer screen that you are using. Also, our stones and pearls may reflect different colours depending on the light.

As we use natural stones and pearls in our jewellery you need to be aware that there may be some colour variations within the stones and pearls and that some will have natural inclusion. Any inclusions are not flaws and in many cases these are evidence that the stones / pearls are not man-made. We believe that inclusions enhance the natural beauty of our products. Diamonds of course are an exception to this.

If you receive your purchase and you believe that it is significantly different to that described in our online store or that it is faulty, we ask that you advise us within 7 days of having received your purchase info@jewelbeetle.co.nz
In the case of any dispute the Consumer Guarantees Act will apply.

Ring Resizing
Please ensure you have supplied us with an accurate ring size.
If you purchase a ring online and it does not fit, in most circumstances we are happy to resize for the first time, free of charge.

Some ring resizing is either not possible due to design constraints or the process requires extra care due to fragile gemstones/pearls or a large increase in sizes. In these circumstances ring sizing may incur a small charge. Will will advise of this before proceeding.
If in doubt, please contact us for advice on how to accurately measure your finger.

Free Lifetime Maintenance

If you reside in Nelson please feel free to pop into the store for a complimentary free clean and polish of your Jewel Beetle item of jewellery. Items are accepted by post however there will be a courier charge for return postage.