Pearl Color Trade Terms

Traditionally, as new pearl colors appear, the trade develops names to describe them. Here are some trade names for pearl colors, with the pearls’ origins and color term descriptions:

Apricot—Light pinkish orange Chinese freshwater cultured pearls

Aubergine—Tahitian cultured pearls with dark grayish purple bodycolor, sometimes called “cherry”

Golden—Strong greenish yellow to orangy yellow South Sea cultured pearls

Lavender—Light pinkish purple Chinese freshwater cultured pearls

Peacock—Tahitian cultured pearls with a dark green-gray to blue-gray bodycolor and pink to purple overtones

Pistachio—Tahitian cultured pearls with a yellowish green to greenish yellow bodycolor

While you’ll hear these terms in the trade, they are not part of the GIA Pearl Description System. The terms are vivid and fun to use, but they can cause confusion. With so many different cultured pearl colors on the market, a more precise vocabulary like the one used in GIA’s Pearl Description System offers a way to avoid mix-ups about cultured pearl color. 

Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy Michael Randall
The pastel colors of some Chinese freshwater cultured pearls have inspired trade names like lavender, peach, and apricot.