Tahiti Pearl Market, Inherited passion for pearls

Franck Tehaamatai has created in less than three decades one of the most beautiful business stories in Tahiti, around his passion for the Tahitian cultured pearl. A passion that he has been keen to share with his four children, Glenn, Halidjka, Vaiana and Vaihere, all of whom are involved today to various degrees in the perpetuation of this family heritage. The family adventure, born from the pearl farming before expanding with the jewelry, took the name of Tahiti Pearl Market.

After beginning his career in the automotive dealership industry, Franck Tehaamatai—an unwavering lover of his homeland—fell head over heels for the pearl, that gem of our lagoons, while prospecting in the Tuamotu Islands in the 1990s to explore the potential for shrimp farming operations.

Captivated by the discovery of this one-of-a-kind gem and its unique production process, he chose to establish his first pearl farm in 1994 on the atoll of Takaroa. Fully aware that pearls can only be born and thrive in pristine lagoon environments, he continued to expand by carefully selecting ideal sites, eventually establishing up to seven strategically located pearl farms. He has never spared any effort in giving the Tahitian pearl the prestige it so rightfully deserves.

From Pearl Farming to Fine Jewelry

Having become one of the leading figures in the Polynesian pearl industry—with an annual production of nearly one million pearls in 1999 and 2000—Franck Tehaamatai soon found himself surrounded by his children, who joined his efforts to grow the business and promote this unique treasure around the world.

It was his daughter, Vaiana (top left with her father)—manager and product director of Tahiti Pearl Market—who brought a major new direction to the company by steering its focus toward fine jewelry.

Though she had always been closely involved with the development of the pearl farms, Vaiana quickly envisioned a different outlet for their work: high-end jewelry design.

Franck Tehaamatai, his children and all their collaborators have decided to reduce their pearl production by more than 90% over the last few years to preserve the unequalled quality of the waters of our lagoons

She initially suggested to her father that they acquire an existing jewelry business—Artisor.

Social Responsibility at the Heart of the Brand

Father and daughter were united by shared values and a common desire to make high-quality Tahitian pearl jewelry accessible to as many people as possible. This vision inspired the creation of the “perlerie” concept—an in-house signature of Tahiti Pearl Market. In each of the boutiques they soon opened—starting with the flagship store on Rue du Père Collette in Papeete in 2003—customers were now invited to choose the pearl or pearls of their dreams, presented unmounted, and then have them custom set into jewelry on the spot.

Following in their father’s footsteps, Vaiana Tehaamatai and her siblings—sisters Halidjka and Vaihere, and older brother Glenn (top right in the center)—are all involved in the company to varying degrees and pay close attention to the well-being of the sixty or so employees, whom they hope to see “happy to come to work.”

It’s a philosophy that seems to have served the company particularly well, as that first store was soon followed by eight more, including locations in the islands, often within prestigious hotels such as the Relais & Châteaux in Taha’a and Le Méridien in Bora Bora.

A Sustainable Pearl for the International Market

Deeply committed to environmental stewardship, Tahiti Pearl Market strives to maintain a human scale and uphold its core values. This includes protecting the unmatched purity of the pearl-farming lagoons—and, in turn, the quality of their pearls.

While the company has grown and prospered, it continues to innovate and set its sights ever higher: expanding international e-commerce—particularly targeting the U.S. market—attending more international events and trade shows, and pursuing Franck Tehaamatai’s dream of creating a centralized purchasing hub linked to a recognized pearl trading index.

Such a platform would allow for fairer compensation for pearl farmers—an initiative that will likely be carried forward by the third generation of the Tehaamatai family at the helm of Tahiti Pearl Market