400 year old natural pearls from The Santa Margarita

[pbazar]

I think you will find this interesting.

After a year and a half the 16,000 natural pearls found off of Key West from the shipwreck of the Santa Margarita are on the market. The Santa Margarita was the sister ship of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. This week I meet with W. Keith Webb and Guy Zajonc to discuss how best to market what I consider to be the most important discovery relating to pearls and the Spanish conquest of the Americas.

This will be a great project and I am open to any ideas.

for more information

http://www.pearls.com/news2/pearlperspectives44.htm

 

[KAC]

yes I remember speaking with someone related to this find some time back, that treasure hunting business sure is an interesting one isn't it?

I think the key ingredient to marketing these pearls is going to be romance and plenty of it. There is a fascinating story that goes with these pearls and any buyers are going to be purchasing a part of the story as much as they are the pearls.

 

[pbazar]

That is an issue that I discussed with Keith the process that was used to clean them has transformed the pearls from black contaminated pearls to white clean pearls. The issue of lead is sill a question I am working on but it seems much less an issue.

 

[knotty panda]

Who is Keith? The color of the pearls does not indicate the amount of lead contamination. From Ms. Hyatt's report, I gathered the focus was on making the pearls asthetically pleasing. I didn't see any treatability studies which indicated what methods were investigated in remediating the contamination from the pearls or what methods were finally chosen, if any. Some of the pearls were highly contaminated. As far as marketing is concerned, Mel Fisher's has a couple of decades of experience marketing these recovered historic pieces. I'm sure they know what they're doing.

 

[pbazar]

W. Keith Webb, President and CEO of Blue Water Ventures Key West wihich found the pearls. Blue Water Ventures has an agreement with Mel Fisher?s Treasures. The Pearls have been divided between the two entities.

Mel Fisher's operations have remained focused on the Atocha site with Blue Water Ventures working the Santa Margarita

 

[knotty panda]

Why are the pearls being considered for a different marketing scheme than their other recoveries?

 

[MistofCassiopeia]

Have you thought about putting them on a travelling museum-type exhibition first before they go into private hands?

 

[pbazar]

As to marketing they have no experience with pearls. We are working on a traveling museum-type exhibition in fact we are planning to show the pearls in Tucson and have talked to Dubai.

 

[effisk]

these pearls look dull and chalky in this pic. Any better photo ?

 

[knotty panda]

I'm still confused. What is the difference between marketing pearls from a shipwreck and marketing gold from a shipwreck? They've recovered many different gemstones and metals from these shipwrecks and the marketing has always been focused on their recovery. Why do the pearls need a specific type of marketing other than what they have always been doing?

 

[Jnorris]

Pearls

Pearls

The Nacre and organic compounds have been damaged from 100s of years under water. When I held the pearls you could see that the surface could be removed with your fingernail. This unfortunately gives them very little value with in the industry. The pearls true value comes from their history. Who in the world can say that they posses a collection of natural pearls recovered from a 400 year old Spanish treasure ship. I would like to see them purchased and donated to a museum for every one to enjoy. Can you imagine the story behind these pearls.

 

[knotty panda]

Wow! Mr. Norris! What a pleasure! I think, reading between the lines, a picture is coming into focus. It seemed odd to me that the pearls were being marketed by those experienced in cultured pearls rather than naturals. Mel Fisher's handles recoveries from the Santa Margarita as well as the Atocha. The gemstones they offer command a very handsome price even though they may be damaged.

These salvage operations very often offer replicas of recovered pieces for sale at very affordable prices. Perhaps a coin with a picture of a pearl, mounted in a pendant or bracelet setting could be crafted and sold. It would accompany an actual pearl along with the certificate for the owner, but not worn, unless the owner wished to investigate having the pearl set.

It's a shame these pearls have little value.

 

[pbazar]

The pearls I have are remarkably good. Remember there are 16,000 pearls. I have pictures of 8000. There are pearls with good luster and good surface and some with problems. Overall they are remarkable. Mr. Norris is correct and it is the pearls provenance that make this so special.

The The pearls true value comes from their history. Who in the world can say that they posses a collection of natural pearls recovered from a 400 year old Spanish treasure ship. I would like to see them purchased and donated to a museum for every one to enjoy. Can you imagine the story behind these pearls.

 

[GemGeek]

That pearl is just amazing for 400 years on the ocean floor! Thanks

 

[pbazar]

It's a shame these pearls have little value.

On the contrary they are some of the most valuable pearls in the world. There was a single pearl found on the Atocha that was exposed and badly pitted. That pearl sold for thousands.

 

[pearlescence]

It is all about provenance

 

[KAC]

yes I did recieve the report with photos some time back, maybe 6 month ago if I recall? I did look at some of the pics and some of the pearls look better then others but as I mentioned before its all about the romance and dare I say mystic of the find.

I do agree they belong in a museum, not much value as far as jewelry is concerned IMO at least.

Good look, it should be very interesting working with them.

 

[knotty panda]

You're reading me wrong. It's a shame that pearls need provenance to have value. While all gemstones' value is increased by it, pearls, by and large, can't seem to get along without it; just as brand name cultures have little value without the clasp.

 

[pearlescence]

Do pearls and only pearls need provenance? I don't think that is so. The tattiest wooden table is transformed into ?1m by a provenance that it was the table at which..well. whoever did what they did
Think Diana's dresses (although that provenance is now evaporating), Duchess of Windsor's jewels...anything with an autograph...
Provenance is not brand, provenance is a clear trace of ownership back to the desired source

 

[knotty panda]

Again, you're reading me wrong. Wood is not a gemstone. Of all the gemstones, it appears pearls more than the other gemstones NEED provenance or an autograph as you call it. A Mikimoto clasp is in a way an autograph. All I'm saying is, I think that is sad.