New York City · French Polynesia
Two Cities.
One Pearl.
Born in the energy of Manhattan. Drawn to the silence of the Pacific lagoon. The story of TahitianPearlJewelry.com begins at the intersection of two worlds.
New York City
Our Origin
From the Diamond District
to the Lagoons of Tahiti
TahitianPearlJewelry.com was born in 2007 in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, two blocks from the Diamond District on 47th Street. Our founders, Elena and Marcus Voss, had spent over a decade working in New York's fine jewelry trade — Elena as a gemologist, Marcus as a fifth-generation goldsmith whose family had operated on the Diamond District since the 1960s.
In the spring of 2005, a business trip took Elena to Rangiroa Atoll in French Polynesia to source stones for a client commission. What she found there changed everything. Standing at the edge of a pearl farm in the morning light, watching oysters being turned by hand, she held a baroque Tahitian pearl that shifted from deep green to violet as she rotated it in her palm. She called Marcus that evening and said simply: "We need to pivot."
Two years later, back in New York, they launched with a single tray of hand-selected pearls and an atelier on West 47th Street. Today, TahitianPearlJewelry.com ships worldwide — but every pearl still passes through the same two hands that started it all.
What Guides Us
Our Values
Radical Transparency
Every pearl carries full documentation: the atoll it grew in, the farm, the harvest date, and the grader's name. No mystery, no marketing language.
Farm Partnership
We work with three family-run farms in French Polynesia and have done so for over 15 years. We pay above-market rates and return each season to the same people.
Jewelers' Standard
Coming from the Diamond District, we hold our settings and metalwork to the same exacting standards as the finest New York ateliers. No shortcuts.
Legacy Pieces
We design and build jewelry intended to outlast us. Every piece comes with a lifetime care guarantee — because heirlooms are not a category, they are a commitment.
The People Behind the Pearl
Meet the Founders
Two New Yorkers who traded the skyline for the lagoon — and then brought both worlds together in every piece they make.
Elena Voss
Co-Founder · Gemologist & Creative Director
Elena grew up in Brooklyn and studied gemology at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in New York City before joining a fine jewelry house on Fifth Avenue. Her decade in the trade sharpened an eye for quality that few can match — she can grade a Tahitian pearl's orient in seconds and tell you which atoll it likely came from. At TahitianPearlJewelry.com, she leads pearl acquisition, creative direction, and every bespoke commission.
Marcus Voss
Co-Founder · Master Goldsmith & Operations
Marcus is a fifth-generation goldsmith. His great-great-grandfather opened a watchmaking atelier on the Lower East Side in 1921; his family moved to 47th Street — the Diamond District — in 1958. Marcus trained under his father and later apprenticed in Valenza, Italy. He builds every setting with the precision of someone who learned the craft before he could drive. At TahitianPearlJewelry.com, he oversees production, metalwork, and the lifetime care programme.
The Journey
Our Story in Milestones
The First Atelier
Marcus's great-great-grandfather, Friedrich Voss, opens a watchmaking and jewelry repair shop on Orchard Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan — a single room above a tailor's shop.
West 47th Street
The Voss family moves to New York's Diamond District, joining the city's legendary jewelers' row. Three generations refine the craft of setting and goldsmithing there.
Elena Joins the Trade
Elena completes her GIA certification in New York and joins a Fifth Avenue fine jewelry house, where she specializes in rare and exotic gemstones — and first encounters a Tahitian black pearl.
Rangiroa, French Polynesia
A sourcing trip to Rangiroa Atoll becomes a turning point. Elena witnesses pearl cultivation first-hand and calls Marcus from the lagoon. The vision for TahitianPearlJewelry.com is born in that phone call.
Launch — New York City
TahitianPearlJewelry.com opens its atelier on West 47th Street with a curated collection of 40 pieces. The first sale — a peacock-orient pendant in 18k gold — ships to a client in Park Slope, Brooklyn, within the week.
First Farm Partnership
We formalize a direct partnership with the Manutahi family farm in Fakarava — one of only three farms we work with to this day. The agreement includes above-market pricing and a reef conservation contribution from every sale.
Global Reach
With clients in 38 countries and a waitlist for bespoke commissions, we relocate our atelier to a larger studio in Midtown. The 47th Street showroom remains our spiritual home and appointment space.
Still Two People, One Pearl at a Time
Over 3,400 pieces crafted. Clients in 50+ countries. Three farm partnerships. And still: every pearl selected by Elena, every setting signed off by Marcus. That hasn't changed, and it never will.
Ready to Find
Your Pearl?
Browse the collection or speak directly with Elena and Marcus about a bespoke commission.