French Polynesia, overseas collectivity of France consisting of five archipelagoes in the south-central Pacific Ocean. Included are some 130 islands scattered across the Pacific between latitudes 7° and 27° S and longitudes 134° and 155° W a total land area roughly equivalent to that of metropolitan Paris and London combined but spread across a swath of ocean five times as large as France. The archipelagoes of French Polynesia are the Society Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Gambier Islands, Marquesas Islands, and Tubuai Islands. The capital, Papeete, is on Tahiti, French Polynesia’s largest island (403 square miles [1,043 square km]), in the Society group.
Despite their simplicity in colour, black and white gemstones continue to captivate people in many cultures around the world. Jeweller explores the globe to find out which of the black and white gemstone varieties are out there.