South Sea pearls are among the largest commercially harvested cultured pearls in the world. The average size of a South Sea pearl is 13 mm, with most harvests producing a range of sizes from 9 mm to 20 mm. The South Sea lies between the northern coast of Australia and the southern coast of China. These waters are the natural habitat of a large oyster known as “Pinctada maxima” which grows up to 12 inches in diameter, and can be nucleated with a much larger bead than other saltwater oysters such as the Akoya. There are two varieties of Pinctada maxima : the silver-lipped and the gold-lipped. 
The two types can be distinguished by the distinct coloration of the outer edge of their interior – a.k.a. “mother of pearl” – producing white-rose or white-silver in the first case and golden pearls in the second.
We recommend buyers exercise extreme caution in the purchase of South Sea pearls, as the Philippine and Indonesian merchandise is normally of an inferior quality and the prices should be much lower than the exquisite Australian qualities we deal with.
South Sea Pearls