Abalone Gone "Buggy"

[New Zealand Natural Pearl]

Crab on Rocks

Crab on Rocks


Abalone Blister Pearl set white gold
with Diamond and Ruby
Hope you like

 

[Valeria101]

The brooch is posted with corresponding link to Nelson Rarities, thus any claim to abalone pearl is theirs, not mine. In the shot it does certainly appear to be a blister of some sort...

Can't now about that one in particular, but natural blister pearls from Mule's Ear abalone are not unheard of in antique jewelry. Bright white, shallow blisters with wavy surfaces. Quite thin and translucent. Always backed by some other type of MOP which makes the ID of the species a bit of a guess.

Nothing like Osmena 'pearls' (cutouts of polished Nautilus shell). An they are quite unusual objects - which is the strongest hint I've got that these couldn't have been common simulants of some sort (can't imagine that a successful simulant that did reach such prices could have stayed rare, LOL! It's human nature, after all. )

 

[SteveM]

NZ Naturals: Elegant crab, lots of color with delicate appendages. Crustaceans = bugs of the sea. Perfect! JMarcus must be amazed at what that grasshopper in post #1 has scared from the trees (or coral)?

White abalone brooch: Caitlin's comment re low iridescence weighs heavily, along with the smooth shape and surface. (Haliotus genus serves as an argument against too closely associating iridescence with 'orient.')

However it is the use of 'abalone pearl' in the site's item description, when in fact it is a blister, if abalone at all, that gets my attention.

 

[GemGeek]

Love the crab!!!

 

[Valeria101]

However it is the use of 'abalone pearl' in the site's item description, when in fact it is a blister, if abalone at all, that gets my attention.

Coming from those folks, I'd take it for a slip of tongue, if even.


Any guess what beast produced this iridescent blob?

LINK

There are more of the flattish white blisters at the same address too (a search for pearl pins yields a couple of mabes and blisters, w/o any note of species - which seems to be the norm when it comes to natural pearls in old jewelry...).

 

[SteveM]

Will need to expand the thread title to 'critters.' Great link!

That's a beautiful pearl. Despite its huge size, the smooth texture and complete nacre coverage as shown in the photo would keep my guess in the oyster family, albeit the colors could be abalone, in line with the H. Australis shell posted by NZ Naturals. Look forward to other comments.

 

[Caitlin]

That seal is about the cutest use for a pearl I have seen yet! My guess is that it is abalone.

 

[SteveM]

I still can't get over that pearl, the most beautiful in my 18 months on the forum, the equal of anything from Dr. Tom, Bahraini Naturals, etc. And so quickly following my earlier post surmising that white abalone shell might offer far greater potential for finesse to blue, green or red varieties.

The pearl's beauty is expressed in its luster and subtle colors, but also in its dimensional qualities?think Michelangelo.

While no enhancement to the pearl's beauty, in my effort to take a closer look at the pearl using Photoshop I tried the 'Accented Edges' feature, with these results?

 

[pattye]

Amazing colors on that pearl! What I would give to see it in person! And looks to be a great size also.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Nerida]

What an amazing pearl! If that's abalone, then I'm a complete convert! Gorgeous creative craftsmanship, too!

 

[J Marcus]

Any guess what beast produced this iridescent blob?

There are more of the flattish white blisters at the same address too (a search for pearl pins yields a couple of mabes and blisters, w/o any note of species - which seems to be the norm when it comes to natural pearls in old jewelry...).

I looked and re-read the description carefully and didn't see any reference to the sea lion being a blister pearl, but just to it's being baroque.

It is a truly beautiful pearl and it brings to my mind the few blisters I have found in the shells of the black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii. Interestingly enough, though the outer shell of this creatures' shell is indeed black, the irridescent inside of the shell is a very pale color, beautifully and delicately colored in many shades. When I look at the great range of color and intensity in abalone shells and their resultant blisters and pearls, I am often puzzled by the way so much significance is given to the intense, deep blues and greens that are found in the paua, lovely as they are. However, as I type this, I have at my side the shell of a large, Red Abalone, Haliotis Rufrescens. It is treating me to a dazzling sunset of color dominated by intense fushia/rose/pink shading into purple, greens, yellows, blues, a georgeous turquois/aqua which is often a dominant color in these shells. If I turn the shell against the light I can watch a shimmering rainbow dance across it that leaves no part of the rainbow untouched--and all this in shells, blisters and pearls that I have seen repeatedly refered to as "pale" or "paler" abalone. Perhaps this is because of the base color range that, elusive as it can be, seems to fall into the range of "pearly" white/silver/platinum. Yet this base color is very much like that of the akoyas and south sea pearls that we so value. Although the delicately and beautifully hued interiour of the black abalone might be somewhat more properly referred to as pale, when I look at the colors of the red or pink abalones, the descriptives that come to mind for me are more on the order of "bright," "riotous" and sometimes even "gaudy." (In a delightful way, of course.) These are just some thoughts I have.

Marc
http://www.flyrodjewelry.com/home.html

 

[Caitlin]

I remember when I first saw paua shell- I loved it. I wore a little pendant for years. But nowadays I can't get enough of those lighter abalone colors, such as from the shells I have collected from Cambria to Capetown CA.

 

[New Zealand Natural Pearl]

Cute Seal

Cute Seal

Love the seal in all its glory.
Beautiful Pearl.
Obviously a White abalone conical with either
Blister or Freeform joined by a band of rose cut diamonds.
Not to be outdone.
The discussion on Colour is interesting - the beauty of
Haliotis Iris - is that the colour can never be guaranteed to be
one - such variety as attached. - we need to start
a thread on colour.

 

[SteveM]

Obviously a White abalone conical with either Blister or Freeform joined by a band of rose cut diamonds.

Well, let's just say it will be a bit more obvious from now on?!!! A masterful match and joint.

Incredible color display from the H. Iris/paua.

 

[Caitlin]

Obviously a White abalone conical with either
Blister or Freeform joined by a band of rose cut diamonds.
Not to be outdone.

That is exactly what it is. Thanks for the tip!

The discussion on Colour is interesting - the beauty of
Haliotis Iris - is that the colour can never be guaranteed to be
one - such variety as attached. - we need to start a thread on color.

Oh Yes, please do start a new thread! I don't think we have anywhere near exhausted our interest in this subject. Anything for more pictures!

 

[Valeria101]

Coincidence!

Lovely pendant setting...

 

[J Marcus]

I couldn't agree more. It sounds like great fun. Would you like to start it or shall I?

That's really a wonderful spread of color variation in your last photo. What beauties. I once read a quote from a man who had been involved in the mining of turquoise for many years in various locations in the Southwestern U. S. He claimed that all of the color varieties found in almost all the different deposits could be found an each of the mines. That the color ranges associated with each mine was a matter of what was most prevalent. I think that this is true of at least some of the Haliotis species.

Oh yes--the example in your pendant posted above is a dead ringer for the colors usually found in our Black abalone.

Marc
http://www.flyrodjewelry.com/home.html

 

[SteveM]

Coincidence!

That pearl has been offered at PP for the better part of a year, but seems to lack the charm or finesse that would attract a ready trade or end customer.

New thread re abalone colors: Bring it on, please include images!

 

[GemGeek]

Here is a shell pendant I picked up for ten dollars in Italy last year. I have no idea where it came from, but it looks like it could have made that glowing "blob" pearl...

 

[New Zealand Natural Pearl]

Interesting colour. Looks a bit like Haliotis Australis and similar in size.
Also it could be a by product of an abalone farm e.g. South Africa