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This is a conjoined pearl, not a blister. Blister pearls are given rise by external factors, where this pearl is internal in onset. It was likely a single pearl which irrupted from it's sac, later to become affixed to the shell within the extrapallial space. As Jeremy suggested, a pearl which...

Thank you Douglas, for the heads up and the opportunity to speak to it. Pearl science tends to be a lonely place and it's refreshing the hear calls from afar. I'm recently retired, but I doubt I'll hang up the pearls any time soon. In uncertain times like these, I'll reiterate it's pearl...

This is an interesting article and I'm delighted you've brought this up for discussion, Douglas. I'll cherry pick a few quotes and comment accordingly. Let's establish terms of reference first. : Epithelial cells in molluscs may be modified and/or displaced to form pearls. From the article ...

Agreed. Mixed cultural strand.

The purple color is not immediately attributed to genetics, insomuch as indirectly. Purple is the direct result of thin epithelii. In fact most bivalves in the animal kingdom have purple ridges along the periostracial margin. This is because not one, but two epithelii must occupy a minimal...

Only in a tiny number of instances, but otherwise no. You are right in the second part of your question. It's a metabolic, not physical process. It's actually kinda silly when you think about it. Where does one buy dyed oyster food? No less for oysters you don't have to feed in the first place.

Over time, the purple (flat spots mainly) in my natural specimens have faded to white. No so much by disappearing but for being occluded by reverted calcite. Seeing how purple tends to be the narrowest bandwidth and closely associated to prismatic structures, it stands to reason it's the first...

On the face of it, it's a fair question. A discussion, a fielding of views and a way in for some. However, crowd funding "same same" rarely appeals to the masses. Same farms, same techniques, same market conditions. I'm not sure that will fly. I would think innovative ideas, new plans, new...

Thank you for the correction, Douglas. Revisiting the image I see the difference at the outer margin and yes, the other specimen is a purple-hinge. It's interesting how these creatures are intensely targeted by boring worms. They have characteristically long lives compared to other mollusks...

Purple Hinged Rock Scallop (Crassodoma gigantea) A true scallop. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Bivalvia Order: Pectinida Family: Pectinidae Genus: Crassadoma Bernard, 1986 [2]...

The other thing we've not touched upon is the sac itself. Stretch marks, as it were. Thinner sacs may hyper-extend resulting in large, single perforations where pearls partially emerge, but not irrupt. We know these as circle pearls. Other sacs, while remaining intact may stretch causing tiny...

Ahh yes, cockles. An excellent analog and a good point. Hemoglobin and iron pigmentation present considerably across this order (Cardiida). When we examine pearls from Tridacna gigas, the contrast is not as evident, if at all. This suggests flame patterns are almost entirely a mineral thing...

I've not seen anything that describes the phenomenon either, but I do have suggestions as to why it occurs. One only needs to see the lattice patterns on a shell to gather how this may be manifested into flame patterns. These patterns can be likened to the "pinto like" appearance of the shells...

Let us examine this simple, yet important terms, one step at a time. We'll ignore interpallial or endo phenomenonal pearls for a moment and consider the extrapallial scenario. Mabe, if you will. Why is radius x > y? Would you agree it is a result a void space created between the outer...

Again, therein lays the "Because nobody saw" fallacy and although Redding et al rejected causation, it's not dismissed. You'll agree this supports low incidence ONLY, There is no burden to prove something does not exist, but outright dismissal cuts us off from our need to learn more and...

Of course lay terms are fine, but not if the underlying premise is wrong. The video title is How Do Natural Pearls Form? I'm not sure who the target audience is, but it's not natural pearl people. It poorly touches on one aspect of dozens of likelihoods. Does this matter to the average Joe...

High 40s at that. 47 day after day, 49 on the day the town of Lytton was destroyed. Lillooet is overwhelmed with evacuees and displaced folks. Fire spread is currently away from the mine, but I'm not inclined to being trapped or starting new fires, so I'll stay at home for the third time in six...

Thank you, Douglas. I edited for grammar, spelling and clarity a few too many times and ended up in the mod queue. I'm in mining limbo while wildfires ravage my province, so I've been revisiting pearl work instead until the rains come and the restrictions are lifted. That includes some...