Black pearl earrings have started to come into vogue in the last few years as the other neutral pearl. In the past it was always the standard white pearl that was the focus of attention but now the black pearl is now riding a crest of popularity across all styles and price points.

First lets talk about color. Black pearls are not really jet black but range in tint from a very dark charcoal grey to light grey. They are often paired with white pearls in an ensemble drop earring of alternating white and black pearls either same size or graduated. Most often they are worn as simple studs worn with a matching black pearl necklace. The darker grey colors are preferred for their own sake where as the lighter grey pearls are combine with assorted feminine colors like peach and pink pearls.

Now that we have the color down let's talk about pearl type. Currently there are three or four major types of pearls that would have a black variety. The best known are the Tahitian south sea black pearls. The colors and orient are striking on these big lustrous pearls that are grown on farms in Tahiti. Unlike Japanese black akoyas these pearls can be grown to sizes in excess of 12 millimeters in diameter whereas the akoyas don't get much bigger than 10mm and are a bit more expensive than the Tahitians for the same size pearl. Although the akoyas don't get as big, they have a better luster because the cold water akoya oysters produce a finer crystalline nacre that results in a better overall luster. the tahitians come close in this respect and are generally considered good enough by most women to forego the akoya pearls and go for the size of the Tahitian black pearls.

The most popular style in cheap black pearl earrings is the black pearl stud earrings. From tiny 4mm black akoya pearl earrings all the way up to a substantial 15mm Tahitian pearl earring these earrings are very much in vogue for evening wear. They don't have to pair up with a matching necklace since the trend for young women right now is to not be too matchy matchy. They are the perfect accompaniment to the classic black dress.

Black pearl dangle earrings oozing with style and a touch of sass can really bring some pizzas to an otherwise dowdy old black dress. You can also choose to ad a small diamond atop the pearl stud which adds some definite formality and class to this type of earring as you can see in the picture to the right. Also note the slight green overtone on the pearls and the fact that these pearls are quite a good match

Black Pearl Earring Overtones

The Akoya black pearls come from the black oyster whose nacre is dark grey. They can run more in price then the standard white pearls of similar quality and luster. Apart from various aspects of quality, price, and shade of grey there is also the color of overtone that you might prefer. The most common overtone is green and most women prefer an overtone because it shows that the pearls are not fake or imitation pearls. The other overtone that black pearls can have is aubergine which is kind of a magenta color. I wouldn't call it pink like the color of overtone most commonly seen on white pearls.

This overtone can range from a magenta to ammost purplish and its really just a matter of preference if you're wearing all black. Many times though you will not be wearing black in which case the most common choice of overtone is green since it is a bit more neutral than aubergine. Also make sure that if you're buying a matched pair of black pearls as studs or black pearl earrings in white gold, check to see that the overtones match. No point in getting all jazzed up only to discover that one pearl stud has a green overtone and other has a purple overtone.

In the image below you can see that this pear of black pearls in diamond ballerina setting has a definite aubergine overtone and if you compare this to the pearls in the above image you'll see that these are two completely different looks. I personally prefer the green overtone for most formal wear but that occasional red or burgundy outfit will go splendidly with this pair

If you're not into overtones then the best choice for black pearls is in the freshwater variety. These tend to not have much of any overtone and many women find the price and the look exactly what they are looking for in an everyday earring while at the same time it is not an imitation pearl like the ones from Swarovski. Many women who don't have pierced ears may opt for the black pearl clip on earrings that are more commonly available in the black freshwater pearl. Clip on earrings would have to be custom made if you wanted akoya pearls or black Tahitians.