Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.
Private family company behind The Pearl Source, the leading US online pearl jewelry retailer. Family-owned by the Rbibo family in Los Angeles since 1999.
Company Type
private
Founded
1999
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California, United States
Primary Market
United States
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About Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.
What does Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. own?
The company owns The Pearl Source brand, its pearl import supply relationships, and its Los Angeles jewelry workshop. It operates no other consumer brands and has no subsidiary companies.
Is Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. publicly traded?
No. The company is a private family-owned California corporation with no shares listed on any exchange and no disclosed outside investors.
Who founded Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.?
The Rbibo family founded the business; the current corporation was formed in 1999. Leon Rbibo and his brother Sammy converted the family wholesale operation into the direct-to-consumer Pearl Source brand.
Where is Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. headquartered?
The company is headquartered at 600 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, United States. The same facility houses its jewelry workshop.
How many brands does Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. own?
One. The Pearl Source is the company's only consumer brand, covering its full catalog of Freshwater, Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearl jewelry.
Who owns Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.?
The Rbibo family owns the company. Leon Rbibo is founder and owner, Samuel Rbibo is president, and Ben Rbibo serves as CEO. There are no outside shareholders.
How many customers has the company served?
The company reports more than 250,000 customers served over more than 25 years in business, with a Trustpilot review base approaching 18,000 entries as of late 2026.
History of Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.
The Rbibo family's pearl business predates the corporation by a generation. The family operated in pearl importing and wholesale, building the sourcing relationships in Japan, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific that still supply the company today. The current corporation was formed on February 19, 1999.
For its first years the business remained wholesale-focused, importing Freshwater, Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls for retail clients. The pivotal decision came about 15 years ago, when Leon and Sammy Rbibo moved the operation direct to consumer through a dedicated e-commerce site, The Pearl Source.
The logic was straightforward: pearls passed through importer, wholesaler, distributor, and retailer, each adding margin. Selling direct eliminated the chain and let the company price finished jewelry at roughly 70 percent below equivalent retail while keeping a larger share of the economics.
The model worked. The company built a review base exceeding 17,000 Trustpilot entries, passed 250,000 customers served, and earned trade-press recognition from JCK as an e-commerce leader by traffic and volume in the pearl category. In 2025 it added a partnership with David's Bridal, placing its product into the wedding jewelry market.
Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. Sustainability & Ethics
Cultured pearl farming is generally a lower-impact form of jewelry production than mined gemstones, since pearls require living mollusks in clean water. The company's sourcing relationships span decades of direct dealing with producing regions.
No independent certifications apply. The company holds no B Corp, Fair Trade, or Responsible Jewellery Council certification, and its supply chain claims rest on family relationships rather than third-party audit. US-based manufacturing keeps production labor under California employment law.
Brands Owned by Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.
Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. owns 1 brand in our database. Explore the ownership tree below — click categories to expand and see individual brands.
Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.
private · Founded 1999 · Los Angeles, California, United States
1
brands
Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Vertical integration from import to retail controls cost and quality.
- +Generational sourcing relationships provide supply access competitors lack.
- +Deep customer review base drives trust in a high-ticket category.
- +Family ownership supports long-term brand stewardship.
Considerations
- -Single-category exposure to pearl demand cycles.
- -Family governance limits outside capital and independent oversight.
- -No physical retail presence confines it to e-commerce channels.
- -Dependence on international supply lines for raw pearls.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.
What does Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. own?
The company owns The Pearl Source brand, its pearl import supply relationships, and its Los Angeles jewelry workshop. It operates no other consumer brands and has no subsidiary companies.
Is Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. publicly traded?
No. The company is a private family-owned California corporation with no shares listed on any exchange and no disclosed outside investors.
Who founded Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.?
The Rbibo family founded the business; the current corporation was formed in 1999. Leon Rbibo and his brother Sammy converted the family wholesale operation into the direct-to-consumer Pearl Source brand.
Where is Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. headquartered?
The company is headquartered at 600 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, United States. The same facility houses its jewelry workshop.
How many brands does Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc. own?
One. The Pearl Source is the company's only consumer brand, covering its full catalog of Freshwater, Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearl jewelry.
Who owns Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Inc.?
The Rbibo family owns the company. Leon Rbibo is founder and owner, Samuel Rbibo is president, and Ben Rbibo serves as CEO. There are no outside shareholders.
How many customers has the company served?
The company reports more than 250,000 customers served over more than 25 years in business, with a Trustpilot review base approaching 18,000 entries as of late 2026.
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