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Matira-Pearls
Bora Bora
You will have ample opportunities to shop for black pearls on Bora Bora (Vaitape village alone has a dozen outlets), but this is my favorite. It's owned by Steve Fearon, whose family once had a piece of the Hotel Bora Bora, and whose brother, Tom Fearon, has a bungalow resort on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Steve's chief assistant is his son, Heirama, who graduated from Pepperdine University in California. Unlike some other stores, their customized settings emphasize the pearl, not the gold. Set and loose pearls start at $100. Open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5:30pm, Sunday from 10am to 5pm.You will have ample opportunities to shop for black pearls
Ann-Simon-Boutique
Maharepa
The French owner of this shop, Ann Simon, specializes in darker pearls -- those with rich blue and green hues -- set in 18-karat gold. That combination makes them anything but inexpensive, but this is a good place to see what high-quality black pearls look like. Some of Ann's designs are unique. Open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm.The French owner of this shop, Ann Simon, specializes in
Authentic-Black-Pearls/Yann-Olivier-Collection
Maharepa
Two doors removed from Ann Simon Boutique, this is another fine shop for top-quality pearls, which designer Yann Olivier uses in his unique jewelry designs. Open Monday through Friday from 9am to noon and 1 to 5:30pm.Two doors removed from Ann Simon Boutique, this is another
Eva-Perles
Maharepa
Eva Frachon, the friendly French owner of this little shop, graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in photography and art metals; thus, she does her own creative settings, and she speaks American-style English. It's worth stopping to look at her selection of wood carvings from the Marquesas. Open Monday through Saturday from 9:30am to 5:30pm. .Eva Frachon, the friendly French owner of this little shop,
Galerie-van-der-Heyde
Moorea
Dutch artist Aad van der Heyde has lived and worked on Moorea since 1964. One of his bold impressionist paintings of a Tahitian woman was selected for French Polynesia's 100CFP postage stamp in 1975, and his landscape of Bora Bora appeared on a 2004 stamp. Aad will sell you an autographed lithograph of the paintings. Some of his works are displayed on the gallery's garden wall. He has also produced excellent videos of the islands and will gladly sell you a copy on DVD. In addition, you'll see a small collection of pearls, wood carvings, tapa cloth, shell and coral jewelry, and primitive art from Papua New Guinea. Open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 5pm.Dutch artist Aad van der Heyde has lived and worked
Ron-Halls-Island-Fashion-Black-Pearls
Moorea
Ron Hall sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti with the actor Peter Fonda in 1974. Peter went home; Ron didn't. Now Ron and his son, Heimata, run this air-conditioned Moorea retail outlet. It's worth a stop to see the antiques and old photos, including one of the infamous Quinn's Bar and a William Leeteg painting of a Tahitian vahine (Ron's wife and Heimata's mother, Josée, was herself a championship Tahitian dancer). In 15 minutes of \"pearl school,\" you will learn the basics of picking a pearl. They will have your selection set in a mounting of your choice, their prices are fair, and they donate 10% of every pearl purchase to Dr. Michael Poole's dolphin and whale research. They also carry one of Moorea's best selections of bathing suits, aloha shirts, and T-shirts. Open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm.Ron Hall sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti with the actor
Sculpture-Par-Woody
Papetoai
Woody Howard was studying horticulture at the University of Hawaii when he came to Moorea in 1982 to work on Hotel Bali Hai's plantation. Like so many others, he stayed. You can visit his lagoonside workshop and, if he's not off searching for driftwood, watch him carving award-winning images of dolphins, fish, Polynesian wildlife, and women. He also has a reasonably priced selection of black pearls. Open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 5pm.Woody Howard was studying horticulture at the University of Hawaii
Boutique-Gauguin
Povai-Bay
In a white house 1.5km (1 mile) north of Hotel Bora Bora, Boutique Gauguin is one of the larger stores here, offering a selection of handicrafts, clothing, black pearls, and curios. This is the best place on Bora Bora to shop for prints of Paul Gauguin's paintings. Some of the pareus here are particularly artistic. Open daily from 8am to 5:30pm.In a white house 1.5km (1 mile) north of Hotel
The-Farm
Raititi-Point
Since the Farm is owned by the Levard family, you are likely to be deposited here after going on one of their safari excursions. Although the family's main black-pearl farms are on Tahaa, they have about 10,000 oysters growing here, primarily to show you how pearls are grown, harvested, graded, and turned into jewelry. The final products are for sale in the Bora Pearl Company, the showroom here. It's worth a visit to see how it's all done. Open daily from 9am to 6pm.Since the Farm is owned by the Levard family, you
Musandeacutee-de-la-Perle-Robert-Wan
Tahiti
Your beginning point should be the Musée de la Perle Robert Wan, on the rue Jeanne d'Arc side of the Centre Vaima (45.43.45). Named for Robert Wan, the man who pioneered the local industry back in the 1960s, this museum explains the history of pearls back to antiquity, the method by which they are cultured, and the things to look for when making your selection. Admission is 600CFP ($6) for adults, 300CFP ($3) for children. Call for a free ride from local hotels.
Your beginning point should be the Musée de la Perle
Pai-Moana-Perles
Tahiti
From the Centre Vaima, walk east along boulevard Pomare, then turn right on rue du Commandant Jean Gilbert (between Banque Socredo and Tahiti Sport) in the Quartier du Commerce. This sort of \"Pearl Row\" has a number of small jewelry stores specializing in pearls, and some major traders have upstairs offices here. Among the storefront shops is Pai Moana Perles (43.31.10), owned by Canadian Peter Ringland and American Rick Steger, whose pearl farm at Manihi in the Tuamotus directly supplies this little shop as well as outlets on Moorea and in Hawaii. They do all of their simple but elegant jewelry designs here.
From the Centre Vaima, walk east along boulevard Pomare, then
Sibani-Perles-Joallier
Tahiti
On the second level of the Centre Vaima, Sibani Perles Joallier (41.36.34) carries the jewelry line of Didier Sibani, another pioneer of the local industry. European-style elegance is the theme here and at the other Sibani outlets throughout the islands.
On the second level of the Centre Vaima, Sibani Perles
Tahiti-Perles
Tahiti
Adjoining the museum, Tahiti Perles (45.05.05) carries only excellent-quality pearls and uses only 18-karat gold for its settings, so the prices tend to be high.
Adjoining the museum, Tahiti Perles (45.05.05) carries only excellent-quality pearls
Boutique-Bora-Bora
Vaitape
Catering to the cruise-ship crowd, this store has more T-shirts and pareus than most others here, plus it sells wood carvings, books, calendars, curios, and a few black pearls. It's a good place to stock up on Hinano beer glasses. Open daily from 9am to 5:30pm. Vaitape, opposite the small boat harbor.Catering to the cruise-ship crowd, this store has more T-shirts
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French Polynesia
© Photodisk
Matira-Pearls
Bora Bora
You will have ample opportunities to shop for black pearls on Bora Bora (Vaitape village alone has a dozen outlets), but this is my favorite. It's owned by Steve Fearon, whose family once had a piece of the Hotel Bora Bora, and whose brother, Tom Fearon, has a bungalow resort on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Steve's chief assistant is his son, Heirama, who graduated from Pepperdine University in California. Unlike some other stores, their customized settings emphasize the pearl, not the gold. Set and loose pearls start at $100. Open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5:30pm, Sunday from 10am to 5pm.You will have ample opportunities to shop for black pearls
Ann-Simon-Boutique
Maharepa
The French owner of this shop, Ann Simon, specializes in darker pearls -- those with rich blue and green hues -- set in 18-karat gold. That combination makes them anything but inexpensive, but this is a good place to see what high-quality black pearls look like. Some of Ann's designs are unique. Open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm.The French owner of this shop, Ann Simon, specializes in
Authentic-Black-Pearls/Yann-Olivier-Collection
Maharepa
Two doors removed from Ann Simon Boutique, this is another fine shop for top-quality pearls, which designer Yann Olivier uses in his unique jewelry designs. Open Monday through Friday from 9am to noon and 1 to 5:30pm.Two doors removed from Ann Simon Boutique, this is another
Eva-Perles
Maharepa
Eva Frachon, the friendly French owner of this little shop, graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in photography and art metals; thus, she does her own creative settings, and she speaks American-style English. It's worth stopping to look at her selection of wood carvings from the Marquesas. Open Monday through Saturday from 9:30am to 5:30pm. .Eva Frachon, the friendly French owner of this little shop,
Galerie-van-der-Heyde
Moorea
Dutch artist Aad van der Heyde has lived and worked on Moorea since 1964. One of his bold impressionist paintings of a Tahitian woman was selected for French Polynesia's 100CFP postage stamp in 1975, and his landscape of Bora Bora appeared on a 2004 stamp. Aad will sell you an autographed lithograph of the paintings. Some of his works are displayed on the gallery's garden wall. He has also produced excellent videos of the islands and will gladly sell you a copy on DVD. In addition, you'll see a small collection of pearls, wood carvings, tapa cloth, shell and coral jewelry, and primitive art from Papua New Guinea. Open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 5pm.Dutch artist Aad van der Heyde has lived and worked
Ron-Halls-Island-Fashion-Black-Pearls
Moorea
Ron Hall sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti with the actor Peter Fonda in 1974. Peter went home; Ron didn't. Now Ron and his son, Heimata, run this air-conditioned Moorea retail outlet. It's worth a stop to see the antiques and old photos, including one of the infamous Quinn's Bar and a William Leeteg painting of a Tahitian vahine (Ron's wife and Heimata's mother, Josée, was herself a championship Tahitian dancer). In 15 minutes of \"pearl school,\" you will learn the basics of picking a pearl. They will have your selection set in a mounting of your choice, their prices are fair, and they donate 10% of every pearl purchase to Dr. Michael Poole's dolphin and whale research. They also carry one of Moorea's best selections of bathing suits, aloha shirts, and T-shirts. Open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm.Ron Hall sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti with the actor
Sculpture-Par-Woody
Papetoai
Woody Howard was studying horticulture at the University of Hawaii when he came to Moorea in 1982 to work on Hotel Bali Hai's plantation. Like so many others, he stayed. You can visit his lagoonside workshop and, if he's not off searching for driftwood, watch him carving award-winning images of dolphins, fish, Polynesian wildlife, and women. He also has a reasonably priced selection of black pearls. Open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 5pm.Woody Howard was studying horticulture at the University of Hawaii
Boutique-Gauguin
Povai-Bay
In a white house 1.5km (1 mile) north of Hotel Bora Bora, Boutique Gauguin is one of the larger stores here, offering a selection of handicrafts, clothing, black pearls, and curios. This is the best place on Bora Bora to shop for prints of Paul Gauguin's paintings. Some of the pareus here are particularly artistic. Open daily from 8am to 5:30pm.In a white house 1.5km (1 mile) north of Hotel
The-Farm
Raititi-Point
Since the Farm is owned by the Levard family, you are likely to be deposited here after going on one of their safari excursions. Although the family's main black-pearl farms are on Tahaa, they have about 10,000 oysters growing here, primarily to show you how pearls are grown, harvested, graded, and turned into jewelry. The final products are for sale in the Bora Pearl Company, the showroom here. It's worth a visit to see how it's all done. Open daily from 9am to 6pm.Since the Farm is owned by the Levard family, you
Musandeacutee-de-la-Perle-Robert-Wan
Tahiti
Your beginning point should be the Musée de la Perle Robert Wan, on the rue Jeanne d'Arc side of the Centre Vaima (45.43.45). Named for Robert Wan, the man who pioneered the local industry back in the 1960s, this museum explains the history of pearls back to antiquity, the method by which they are cultured, and the things to look for when making your selection. Admission is 600CFP ($6) for adults, 300CFP ($3) for children. Call for a free ride from local hotels.
Your beginning point should be the Musée de la Perle
Pai-Moana-Perles
Tahiti
From the Centre Vaima, walk east along boulevard Pomare, then turn right on rue du Commandant Jean Gilbert (between Banque Socredo and Tahiti Sport) in the Quartier du Commerce. This sort of \"Pearl Row\" has a number of small jewelry stores specializing in pearls, and some major traders have upstairs offices here. Among the storefront shops is Pai Moana Perles (43.31.10), owned by Canadian Peter Ringland and American Rick Steger, whose pearl farm at Manihi in the Tuamotus directly supplies this little shop as well as outlets on Moorea and in Hawaii. They do all of their simple but elegant jewelry designs here.
From the Centre Vaima, walk east along boulevard Pomare, then
Sibani-Perles-Joallier
Tahiti
On the second level of the Centre Vaima, Sibani Perles Joallier (41.36.34) carries the jewelry line of Didier Sibani, another pioneer of the local industry. European-style elegance is the theme here and at the other Sibani outlets throughout the islands.
On the second level of the Centre Vaima, Sibani Perles
Tahiti-Perles
Tahiti
Adjoining the museum, Tahiti Perles (45.05.05) carries only excellent-quality pearls and uses only 18-karat gold for its settings, so the prices tend to be high.
Adjoining the museum, Tahiti Perles (45.05.05) carries only excellent-quality pearls
Boutique-Bora-Bora
Vaitape
Catering to the cruise-ship crowd, this store has more T-shirts and pareus than most others here, plus it sells wood carvings, books, calendars, curios, and a few black pearls. It's a good place to stock up on Hinano beer glasses. Open daily from 9am to 5:30pm. Vaitape, opposite the small boat harbor.Catering to the cruise-ship crowd, this store has more T-shirts
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