Pearls

Tahiti is famous for the production of pearls.These days they are grown on Pearl Farms.
A bead is inserted somewhere quite uncomfortable in the oyster which dutifully covers it with the paerl material. After four years you have a sizable pearl. Hundreds must be harvested each day and graded but the value occurs because only a small percentage are perfectly formed and coloured and large enough.
As you may think therefore Papeete has dozens and dozens of shops selling pearls.....we have visited all of them.....twice!
Richard