A New Ginormous clam pearl found- dwarfs the "Pearl of Allah"

[Caitlin]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...llion-kept-bed-TEN-YEARS-good-luck-charm.html

The priceless rock measures a staggering 1ft foot wide and 2.2 feet long - dwarfing the current world's biggest Pearl of Allah which weighed 6.4kg and is worth $35million.
Tourism officer Aileen Cynthia Amurao said: 'The fisherman threw the anchor down and it got stuck on a rock during a storm.
'He noticed that it was lodged on a shell and swam down to pull up the anchor, and also brought the shell with him. This was a decade ago and he kept it at home.
'He didn't know how much it was worth and kept it tucked away at home as a simple good luck charm.

well, I hope these guys do their research and don't get too high on the possible value. A good look at the story of the Pearl of Allah will show you that no one ever actually paid any cash money to anyone in the provenance of the PoA from the Pisi Family to the Barbish family, from Palawan, to NYC to California, to Colorado.

In fact, the value of the Pearl of Allah lies in the fact that there is no other such pearl, seeded by Lao Tsu 2,500 years ago, put in larger and larger clam shells as it grew, then got lost off the coast of Palawan in a storm in the 18th century, where it lay in its shell until found by someone (who did not die retrieving it) in 1939. Then stolen by a huckster who promised to sell it and pay the Pisi family, but never was able to sell it, even though he made up fantastical stories about prospective buyers.

Then he died and Barbish got Hoffmann to buy it. The agreed-upon price to the family of the con artist was $200k - payable when the pearl sold. No one has ever seriously looked at that pearl for sale, though Barbish made some wild claims about Osama bin Laden buying it to give to Saddam Hussein so they could partner up.

Seriously, this has been a story on Pearl Guide since 2006 or so.

So, Now I am speaking to you Palawan-
This new pearl makes the pearl of Allah worthless, because it is NOT the ONLY pearl like that around Palawan, calling into question, the whole "clam traveling from,China to protect its pearl from war, but the boat sunk near Palawan"- story.
If Lao Tsu seeded the Pearl of Allah, who seeded the Puerto Princesca pearl?

Come on, these huge pearls are special to Palawan. They are not worth millions of $$$- who would buy it? No one has so far, it has just been handed over by memorandum, so to speak- multiple times since it was found.

NO. These pearls are not worth cash money for themselves.......These giant "pearls" have their own value as treasures of Palawan. They belong there- along with all the myths and stories that have built up by the various con artists who took the first one away from Palawan and came to no good end. In fact, I think the pearl was accidentally destroyed when they tried to drill it for the carbon-dating lie. (They did pretend it was carbon dated to 600 years ago in one report. )The pearl had no organic material so it could not be carbon dated, and it probably shattered when drilled. At least it has not been seen or photographed since about the 1970's and was never even required as evidence in the court case involving its ownership in Colorado about 10 years ago or so.

Clearly, Folks, It was cursed. Wilburn Cobb wove the curse himself, as he lied about it and faked the price and hyped the pearl until he died without a buyer. He conned the Museum of Natural History with the story. Taking that pearl from the Pisi family was like taking lava from Pele. You just don't do that and expect to make money as the cautionary tale of the Pearl of Allah should tell you. People who think they can take lava away from Pele send it back when they feel cursed enough.

There is already another big pearl, bigger than the POA, but smaller than the Princesca.The pearl of Elias(?)

It is time for Palawan to take over the legend and make it local. The Tridacna Gigas clam is so incredibly beautiful, they are a natural wonder of the world like the Saguaro cactus around my home town, Tucson Arizona. The pearls are an enticement to visit Palawan.

 

[Caitlin]

One more thought

If even $10,000 were paid for one of these pearls, let alone a million- people would harvest every gigas in sight to cash in.

It is better that they resist monetary value and the temptation to take them from Palawan. Perhaps the owners could rent them, so they can be on display in touristy places. What you do is up to you, but take big money off the table when it comes to these natural treasures found no where else in the world. Or face the foolish fate of losing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Think about it. You could make laws about taking these pearls away from Palawan. Or at least put it out there that the hucksters who take them away for mere money, curse themselves, because in their hearts, they know these treasures belong to the people of Palawan.

 

[KAC]

I get emails and FB message from fishermen in the Philippines at least once a month trying to sell me giant clam pearls. Some of them are HUGE and certainly rival the astetics of the pearl of Allah. I don't believe large clam pearls are that uncommon.

 

[Caitlin]

Hopefully you will direct them to this editorial. The Tridacna gigas is already endangered and pearl nuclei from their shells is illegal. I think taking the shell out of the Philippines is illegal. Taking the pearls should be included, as they are part of the shell until detached.

The Pearl of Allah story is still messing with heads- filling them with worthless thoughts of huge money.

Maybe the sellers of this pearl should read "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck. There is a movie based on that book for .49 cents at amazon The book goes for 1c plus postage.

“There it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon.”

Like his father and grandfather before him, Kino is a poor diver, gathering pearls from the gulf beds that once brought great wealth to the Kings of Spain and now provide Kino, Juana, and their infant son with meager subsistence. Then, on a day like any other, Kino emerges from the sea with a pearl as large as a sea gull's egg, as "perfect as the moon." With the pearl comes hope, the promise of comfort and of security....

A story of classic simplicity, based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of love.

 

[CortezPearls]

I was about to share that same story Caitlin but you beat me to it!
I also get e-mails from people in the Philippines every 2-3 months trying to sell me one of these Tridacna pearls as well (where did they get the idea that I BUY pearls???? Beats me).
Anyway, I don't believe these pears are so uncommon...but this one is just HUMONGOUS.
Personally I don't believe they are all that beautiful (beauty is in the eye of the beholder...bee-holder...pearl-holder in this case) but I would still like to see this pearl in person and examine it.
What I believe I like the most of this pearl is its personal story: the fisherman who had his anchor caught by this giant clam during a storm, brought it to his house to find this huge pearl and then placing it under his bed for 10 years... I think it is this that makes it extra special.

This is a photo that was sent to me from the Philippines a couple of months ago...a 7.4 kilogram pearl.

 

[CortezPearls]

Had problems attaching the photo...browser problem.
Here it is

 

[jshepherd]

But seriously, how many are actual pearls? Is this one a pearl? Is it a whole pearl? Who examined it?

 

[CortezPearls]

But seriously, how many are actual pearls? Is this one a pearl? Is it a whole pearl? Who examined it?

That is the thing...is it not??? Would you travel to Palawan to see something that could actually be a big piece of Tridacna shell, polished and shaped into a "pearl"??? I would not.
Kind of reminds me of the famous "Piltdown Man"... a famous hoax.

But, maybe these are real...but they just fall out of what we recognize/appreciate as a Pearl. I mean...who would wear eat? who would use metal to work it (can you imagine the amount of gold?!?!?!?!)...who will pay your chiropractic bills if you DO wear it??!?!?!

Again: Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder.

 

[CortezPearls]

But again...what I like is the actual Human story. The note in English is quite squalid... but check the one -same source- in Spanish.

Let me add the text & translation:

La funcionaria también explicó cómo el pescador había descubierto la perla.
"Su ancla quedó enganchada en una roca durante una tormenta y quedó atrapado", dijo Amurao,
"(El pescador) se dio cuenta de que se había incrustado en una concha de almeja, nadó para levantar el ancla y se llevó la almeja a su casa", agregó Amurao, quien afirmó que el hombre, seguramente, no conocía el valor económico de la fabulosa perla.
El pescador quiso encontrar en la perla un amuleto para la buena suerte.
Y decidió guardarla en su casa de madera, bajo su cama, para que le trajera buena suerte. Aunque tal vez no esperaba que algunos años más tarde cambiaría de opinión.
A principios de este año, la vivienda del pescador sufrió un incendio. Fue entonces, tal vez considerando que su amuleto ya no era tan efectivo, cuando decidió deshacerse de la enorme perla y entregarla a las autoridades de la oficina de turismo de Puerto Princesa.

Translation:
(They) also explained how the fisherman had discovered the Pearl:
"His anchor became hooked on a "rock" during a storm" said Amurao,
"(The fisherman) realized his anchor had become embedded in a clam shell, so he dove to raise the anchor and then brought the clam to his House", added Amurao, who said that the man, surely, knew nothing of the economic value of the fabulous Pearl.
The fisherman wanted to keep the Pearl as an amulet for his good luck. So, he decided to keep it in his wooden house, under his bed, so that it would bring him good luck.
Although perhaps he did not expect that some years later he would change his mind.
At the beginning of this year, the fisherman's House suffered a fire. It was then, perhaps considering that his amulet was not as effective, when he decided to get rid of the huge Pearl and submitted it to the authorities in the tourist office in Puerto Princesa.

Don't you just LOVE this story? The whole thing...the storm, the anchor becoming trapped, the fisherman diving to find this clam grabbing his anchor, taking it back home to find a pearl he would place under his bed for good luck and then -10 years later- a fire! So he goes and hands it to the local authorities.

 

[dmj]

nothing good about all the viral news around this pearl !

we stopped buying lots and lots of Philippines pearls some years ago because i don't want to support the way they go after them, now the news tells the fisherman who live for story s like this they can make millions fishing for gigas shells what they can't but story s go fast and deep in places like Indonesia, the Philippines and other country s where a good story make people start a goldrush

large ones in kilo sizes are being offered quite often, if your in pearls and easy to reach ( instagram twitter etc ) you will get lots and lots of emails from the Philippines and other places where they harvest shells.

we have seen pearls and blister species in other type shells covering almost half the shell so for these shells that can be larger then a meter there is no doubt they would be able to produce sizes like this would only suck that they go extinct because they need to take thousands out to find the one that will actually make them money

 

[CortezPearls]

nothing good about all the viral news around this pearl !

we stopped buying lots and lots of Philippines pearls some years ago because i don't want to support the way they go after them, now the news tells the fisherman who live for story s like this they can make millions fishing for gigas shells what they can't but story s go fast and deep in places like Indonesia, the Philippines and other country s where a good story make people start a goldrush

large ones in kilo sizes are being offered quite often, if your in pearls and easy to reach ( instagram twitter etc ) you will get lots and lots of emails from the Philippines and other places where they harvest shells.

we have seen pearls and blister species in other type shells covering almost half the shell so for these shells that can be larger then a meter there is no doubt they would be able to produce sizes like this would only suck that they go extinct because they need to take thousands out to find the one that will actually make them money

I agree. In the end the problem with "pearl fishing" is that fishermen will do anything to become "instant millionaires": wipe out an entire species for that "Million Dollar Baby" pearl.

But the story is different...I believe it is a hoax of sorts. Please check out my thought on the matter at my Blog entry, here:
http://douglasmclaurin-moreno.blogspot.mx/2016/08/la-historia-de-la-perla-mas-grande-del.html

 

[Marianne]

Ah Douglas, I love how you think. Marine biologist, pearl farmer, scientist and humorist. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!!!

 

[BlackPearlDudeDC]

My friends are all sending me this story now, so funny because the news always breaks first on Pearl-guide

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

It looks like a carved or reef eroded giant clam shell with the umbo cut away. Polished for sure. There are several distinct bisected lines at the outermost edges of the object. There are also striae visible on either side of the raised radial ridges.

Conspicuously absent... growth fronts. None. If this were a real pearl, there would be huge growth fronts clearly showing their proximal/distal aspects.

Then condition. When a pearl (or any shell for that matter) is no longer living being, it tends to revert back to calcite rather quickly, especially in a harsh environment. Dragging it up in one's anchor through ocean sediments cannot be good for luster, lo less scratches, pits or chips.

 

[MSC]

In the end the problem with "pearl fishing" is that fishermen will do anything to become "instant millionaires": wipe out an entire species for that "Million Dollar Baby" pearl.
[/URL]

This and climate change - I've heard recently that some of the smaller atolls in French Polynesia are starting to experience coral bleaching. This along with over harvest will decimate populations more quickly than anyone can anticipate.

I agree with Caitlin, even if this is just an old worn out shell, it belongs in a Palawan natural history museum where it can be preserved and studied.

 

[Caitlin]

Well, the first thing they might do is exploit all the myths and lies for local tourist propaganda - but they should not add to them!

Palawan REALLY REALLY needs to de-emphasize the cash value and exploit the fact that they must stay on Palawan- except maybe for a Philippine National museum- They could have a gallery of the original finders of the pearls, so they get some credit for finding them, but really try to keep people from utilizing the Gigas species of Tridacna for anything. Anything. Let them live. They have to be one of the most beautiful sea creatures EVER!!.

Here in Tucson, messing with a saguaro cactus is a huge fine to some jail time, depending on the destructiveness of the assault. (Natives may still harvest the fruits) You have to get a permit to dig one up on your own property or where you want to build, and it must be re-transplanted with a bunch of special provisions. The Tridacna gigas clam and its mighty "pearl productions" should be under the most strict protection.

The pearl of Allah was under a bed before Cobb talked the Pisi family out of it- and said he'd send them a bunch of MONEY!!!! BIG $$$$$ I tells ya!!!!!!! As soon as it sells, that is.........

And none of these big pearls has actually sold yet. It is like there is a curse preventing the sale of the Pearl of Allah in the 77 years since it was brought to Manhattan. Not one dime has actually changed hands, only promises of MiIllions, - when the pearl sells -. Notice, WHEN is the operative word. It has never sold, only changed hands from con man to con man. And I mean con man to con man,

Not one legal aboveboard move to care for the pearl was EVER done, for love of the species - or the island that produced it!!!! Only exploitation, after cheating, after more exploitation, and the lies. !!!! The LIES!

"The Pearl of Lao Tsu"? A total lie meant to artificially jack up the price of the pearl. Barbish arranging a sale to Osama? For him to give it to Saddam Hussein? PLEASE< I am GAGGING

My Filipino friends, truly it is time to read, "The Pearl". Truly.

Get over the $$$$ sign in your eyes and the temptation to lie to increase its (almost worthless) value.

If you try to steal a Saguaro from Tucson and grow it anywhere else in the world, IT DIES. When these pearls are stolen away from Palawan with the promise of big $$$, the pearl dies. In fact, you can't prove to me the Pearl of Allah is still in one piece. It DIED!!!. IT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE THE ATTEMPT TO CARBON DATE IT!! just about 50 years ago.

I dare the so-called "owner", Mario Barbish produce it for a press conference. He can't.

lISTEN TO ME GUYS.....I HAVE never BEEN MORE SERIOUS!!!!!

The only safe future for the clam that produces these pearls is for every single Filipino to guard them, themselves. Do not let the pearls or the shells leave Palawan, and make selling them for Money, illegal.

Treat them as we treat Sagauros!

 

[Naan]

Big! May be rare but not a beautiful pearl!

 

[GemGeek]

Well, we did see a couple of threads in May. A representative of Barbish was trying to sell the Pearl of Allah, but the threads were against forum rules, so were not approved. The "pearl" is still intact.

 

[theseventhsphinx]

So interesting, Caitlin! The second I saw this story I had to jump on PG and see what everyone's thoughts were.

 

[amti]

Very interesting reading. I am all for preservation of species that are unique to their environment and land. I hope the PI changes their laws and makes it illegal to remove the clams and protect the shells and pearls. Keeping it unique gives it value.