Brilliant Earth is proud to add the finest in rare pearls to our broad collection of fine jewelry from ethical sources. Sea of Cortez pearls mesmerize the eye with their rich layers of lustrous color, ranging from champagne golds to smoky grays. These shimmering pearls are cultivated in the Sea of Cortez in limited edition harvests on the only salt water cultured pearl farm in the Western hemisphere. The pearls are then set in recycled gold to create lustrous pearl jewelry made with the highest environmental standards.

Conventional pearls are produced from mollusks raised and kept alive for the sheer purpose of producing pearls. Many times such pearls are overharvested, a process that causes pollution and damages water ecology. Traditional pearl harvesting had existed in the Gulf of Mexico for generations, but Colorado’s Hoover Dam brought the unique and delicate species of mollusks that produce pearls to the brink of extinction in the 1930s. The operation of the dam dangerously depleted the local oyster beds by depriving the local habitat of essential nutrients and starving the plankton on which oysters feed. The launch of the pearl farm we source from marks the resurgence of the oyster native to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

We partner with a pearl farm that is founded, owned and operated by a collective of marine biologists dedicated to preserving this rare species of oyster and protecting its delicate natural habitat. The team has saved a major species of mollusk from extinction while cultivating pearls so captivating in appearance and quality that they are among the finest and rarest in the world. The Sea of Cortez Pearl is the only pearl in the gem industry verified to be cultivated and harvested under strict environmental protection and fair trade labor practices. This newly rehabilitated marine biology also acts as a source of economic wealth for this previously poor region in Mexico.

Sea of Cortez pearls exhibit iridescent shades of champagne golds and smoky grays, naturally enhanced by overtones of green, blue, purple and peach. Never artificially treated, Sea of Cortez pearls are completely natural in color, quality, and luster. Sea of Cortez pearl pendants are an ethical and distinctive gift perfectly suited to many special occasions. View our ethically sourced pearl pendant.

At Brilliant Earth we ensure that each of our Sea of Cortez pearls has been handled according to strict labor, trade, and environmental protocols. We track our natural pearls from the moment they are harvested to their final delivery in order to provide genuine, high-quality ethically sourced pearls.

We invite you to view our exceptional pearl pendant, which features a lustrous black pearl from the Sea of Cortez gracefully suspended on a delicate 18K White Gold chain. All of our pearls pendants and other fine pearl jewelry pieces come with a Certificate of Origin to guarantee their ethical origin in accordance with fair trade principles.