Anybody Know What These Are?

[Cathybear]

So there's hope? I was very excited about them, but now I feel awful

 

[GemGeek]

Let's see what Jeremy says. He knows the industry like no one else.

 

[pattye]

Hey, I think it is that article that Jeremy wrote, it is here somewhere, I can't remember what the title is, it was about the fireballs......and how they are nucleated......ok, find in the column, IN THE NEWS, click on it, it will show a number of articles including Jeremy's of mid Aug that talks about the fireballs......

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Slraep]

Okay a 9-12mm nucleus in CFWP is 100% Tridacna gigas. Under that and it's a nucleus made out of local mussel shell(maximum size 7mm) or plastic. You find plastic forms in coin, star, square, rectangle, flower and most stick pearls. At least I think it is plastic. I've broken apart quite a few. If someone knows it is not plastic, please correct me.

The big fireballs(Ikecho), besides being nucleated with a big clam bead, are cultured in the Biwa pearly mussel(Hyriopsis schlegeli) and not the Triangle mussel(Hyriopsis cumingi).

Cathybear, yours are unfortunately big clam nucleated.

Slraep

 

[GemGeek]

Thanks Slraep! I hope they change to something else soon.

 

[jshepherd]

The big fireballs(Ikecho), besides being nucleated with a big clam bead, are cultured in the Biwa pearly mussel(Hyriopsis schlegeli) and not the Triangle mussel(Hyriopsis cumingi).

I do not think that is necessarily correct. It is a sensible conclusion because the Chinese are calling them "Ikecho", which is Japanese for Biwa Pearly Mussel. Even Strack came to that conclusion in her lecture in Hong Kong last month. But I think it is wrong.

1. While in Zhuji with Doug we witnessed the use of 12 mm + beads in native Hyriosis Cumingii.

2. Grace Pearl Company has concentrated more than 80% of its efforts on the production on bead-nuke freshwater. The chairman himself told me that less than 30% of their shell is Hyriopsis schlegelii.

I do not think there is a correlation between the big fireballs and the shell. I think the only correlation is the name Ikecho and Biwa Pearly Mussel.

 

[Slraep]

I do not think there is a correlation between the big fireballs and the shell. I think the only correlation is the name Ikecho and Biwa Pearly Mussel.

Interesting. I'm tending to think that you are right and Strack is possibly wrong too.

So basically they are shoving big clam nucleii mostly into H. cumingi. Got it!

Slraep

 

[Pearlgully]

Hi Jeremy,

In the article that both you and D. Fiske wrote, which is wonderful, by the way, you specifically state that, "Two nuclei were tested at GIA's Carlsbad laboratory". Based on the this fact, that only two were tested, is it safe come to a conclusion that all fireballs are nucleated with shell from the giant clam.
I apologize if I sound critical but nothing seems conclusive at this time.
Am I missing something:

Gail

 

[jshepherd]

Nope. Definitely not safe to conclude that they are all G-C. Henri Hanni found the same thing in shell pearls, however. I personally believe they have the same inside as the fireballs.

But here is something to think about. The fireball and Ikecho pearls are nucleated with large, solid beads. These beads are also white. There are only two legal shells that can produce beads that look similar. They are both from the US. The cost of a single white bead (without heavy striation) would be very high - much more than the cost of an average bead-nucleated freshwater pearl.

We used the word "likely" because without extensive testing of many pearls from many sources it is impossible to be 100% certain, even though no other explanation is viable. We conducted the tests on a couple of random pearls because we could not think of any explanation other than G-C. The test came back saltwater.

 

[Slraep]

We used the word "likely" because without extensive testing of many pearls from many sources it is impossible to be 100% certain, even though no other explanation is viable. We conducted the tests on a couple of random pearls because we could not think of any explanation other than G-C. The test came back saltwater.

I have to admit, the word/s "likely" or maybe "very likely" seem more accurate than my 100%. But still, it being saltwater and having to be cheap, unfortunatly points bigtime to the Big Clam.

Slraep

 

[Slraep]

Beautiful pic of the biggest clam in the world, Tridacna gigas by the very talented photographer Benoit Cappronnier

http://www.routard.com/photos/australie/399-tridacne_geant_ou_benitier_(tridacna_gigas).htm

 

[john675]

This is a stunning photograph. It led me to the site where there are many lovely photographs. Unfortunately, all images are "strongly" copyright protected (they may not be reproduced in any way without authorization and they have even deactivated the usual ability to copy images). We maybe should not have it on here...
John

 

[Slraep]

Hi John,

Yes I read the fine print at the bottom of the photo. But I'm hoping that M. Cappronnier will forgive the use of his T gigas here on the forum as a learning tool. I'm also hoping that many people will visit the website because his pictures of marine life are astoundingly beautiful.

Slraep

 

[Cathybear]

My Pearls Have Arrived

My Pearls Have Arrived

My pearls arrived this morning. They are flowing and lustrous. They are creamy white to pale peach, some have coppery pink overtones, some silvery, some with a bit of a subtle rainbow.
I've taken a photo, but its overcast, so its not the best.
I've measured the ball part where the bead nucleus would be; they range from 9.1mm to 11.4mm, most around 10mm to 10.3mm, and the nacre appears to be quite thick
Cathy