The location is roughly 500km from Manila, and well protected from its pollution. The oysters spend two years in an incubator, followed by around three years slowly growing at a depth of 15m in these calm, warm waters of the South China Sea. In this wilderness in the northern part of the Palawan archipelago in the Philippines, is a hidden area encompassing about twenty or so small islands, which protect the 20cm wide pearl producing oysters from the currents. Five divers wearing t-shirts put on their scuba tanks and masks, and descend into the turquoise waters.

The motorboat advances slowly amongst the rows of ropes in this 5000 hectare park used for pearl production. The feature documents the harvesting of these pearls, in the midst of this tropical paradise. It takes 5 years for an oyster to produce one of these pearls, and the slightest shock during that time could ruin it. It’s a natural and fragile gem which is cared for like royalty. Anyone wishing to publish the text must obtain rights from the author, whose contact details we can provide.Īmongst the turquoise waters of the Palawan archipelago, in the western Philippines, a man from Brittany in northern France is the only person in the world to have discovered the secret to producing a very rare jewel: the golden pearl. The following text was written by independent journalist Sebastian Farcis, and is for reference only. A full edit of 84 images available on request.

Best spot to farm golden pearls