Bit into these...is it possible they are pearls?

[MEGAN]

Hoping for some help, as I know little about pearls. However I was so thrilled when I bit into an oyster in Naples, Florida and out came three pearls. The oysters were supposedly Golf Coast Oysters...that is all I know. I am going to try to post a picture of the pearls and also a picture of the plate of oysters. The largest pearl is about the size of a popcorn kernel. From the little research I have done, they appear to be non nacreous, but what does this mean? Thank you in advance for any info you can give me.
Cheers!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

They sure do look like pearls-- fun conversational pieces.

These are not the kind of oysters that are used to culture pearls for sale, but they are still pearls.

 

[MEGAN]

Thank you so much. What shall I do with them? I thought it would be neat to give one to my sister, maybe on a necklace, since it was a trip that the two of us shared together. Can I shine them up? So they are pearls....but....worth the memory and smiles....not worth the sale?

 

[pattye]

Congratulations on your terrific find! Most of us have never found even one pearl in an oyster, much less three! Your pearls have a slightly different chemical composition; here is the pearl-guide description of NACRE

 

[BAS]

I can't believe you found THREE pearls in one oyster! I am so envious! I'd make a sweet little triple pendant from those as a keepsake.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

The oysters were supposedly Golf Coast Oysters...that is all I know. ... From the little research I have done, they appear to be non nacreous, but what does this mean? Cheers!

They're nacreous, just not highly nacreous. Pearls from edible oysters tend to contain higher levels of calcite than pearls from other species. One advantage though, your pearls were not destroyed by cooking them. High temperatures from steam or baking can remove the protein component from pearls and destroy what little luster they had.

Most food grade oysters nowadays come from farms, so they're not natural in the true sense of things, even though spontaneously formed. Their value is in the story itself, although one appears to have minor value added if mounted on a pendant or other piece.

I suggest you retain them as keepsakes. It's a fun story and they'll always bring wonder.

 

[pattye]

Megan,

You can't really shine up your little pearls, but there are some little cages and tiny glass bottles or a locket you could put the pearls in and wear as jewelry.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Thank you so much. What shall I do with them? I thought it would be neat to give one to my sister, maybe on a necklace, since it was a trip that the two of us shared together. Can I shine them up? So they are pearls....but....worth the memory and smiles....not worth the sale?

Shine them up-- no.
Not worth the sale-- correct.
Give one to your sister-- nice!

 

[kelluvpearls]

I like the glass bottle idea, you can also add sand or tiny shells as well to make it more interesting, what a lovely momento from your trip.
Those oysters look pretty tasty too.

 

[MEGAN]

I love these ideas...and all of the helpful information! Thank you all! What a neat website this is!!

Yes, I guess since the oysters were raw and not cooked...they were unharmed. I think I'd like to make a pendant necklace, one for me and one for my sister...

As for the one pearl that may have a little bit of value, would a jeweler be able to help me? Can I trust a jeweler? And what type of value? Ha Ha! Will it help pay for private tuition for both of my sweet children that were recently diagnosed with sever dyslexia? Probably not, but what an exciting find and what a wonderful memory I was blessed to share with my sister! Again, thank you! And those oysters were just delicious!!! I thought at first that I had spit out part of my tooth!!! And then two more followed. It was neat to see all of the servers and customers applauding our find!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Unfortunately it will not have that sort of value. It would not be a good idea to spend money to make jewelry for the purpose of selling it. Making jewelry for yourself, for the pleasure of owning and wearing it, is a different matter.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I love these ideas...and all of the helpful information! Thank you all! What a neat website this is!!

Yes, I guess since the oysters were raw and not cooked...they were unharmed. I think I'd like to make a pendant necklace, one for me and one for my sister...

As for the one pearl that may have a little bit of value, would a jeweler be able to help me? Can I trust a jeweler? And what type of value? Ha Ha! Will it help pay for private tuition for both of my sweet children that were recently diagnosed with sever dyslexia? Probably not, but what an exciting find and what a wonderful memory I was blessed to share with my sister! Again, thank you! And those oysters were just delicious!!! I thought at first that I had spit out part of my tooth!!! And then two more followed. It was neat to see all of the servers and customers applauding our find!

Most folks can only dream about finding a pearl. The thrill never wanes. Feeling a big lump under my thumb or a glint of iridescence in the sun is as exciting today as it always was.

Pearls don't need to be perfect, shiny orbs to be esteemed. The brown hues would be accented nicely on yellow or white gold or platinum. Silver is much less expensive, but tarnish can permanently stain white pearls. Though one is bigger, the others appear useable too. Perhaps by replacing them into other pieces where stones have fallen away or are otherwise repurposed.

You are gifted with the blessings of family and wonder. Thank you for sharing the experience with us.

 

[MEGAN]

And thank you! I do feel gifted! And thank you for all of the wonderful feedback.

 

[Orient]

They're nacreous, just not highly nacreous. Pearls from edible oysters tend to contain higher levels of calcite than pearls from other species. One advantage though, your pearls were not destroyed by cooking them. High temperatures from steam or baking can remove the protein component from pearls and destroy what little luster they had.

Most food grade oysters nowadays come from farms, so they're not natural in the true sense of things, even though spontaneously formed. Their value is in the story itself, although one appears to have minor value added if mounted on a pendant or other piece.

I suggest you retain them as keepsakes. It's a fun story and they'll always bring wonder.

An interesting point there Dave! So, sorry to take the thread off course slightly but you started it o), how would anyone be able to separate such "cultured pearls"? I presume that is what you are implying they are with the section of your post I hope I managed to make bold? It also leads to the question of what exactly is a natural pearl these days with so many (I believe) hatchery produced oysters being thrown into the seas to no doubt cross-breed with the truly natural ones. Are all pearls going to be "non-beaded", "beadless", "non-nucleated", "Keshi" or whatever term you wish to use? Often wondered about this as cultured pearls by definition are formed in the gonad (unless intentionally produced in the mantle), so anything not intentionally prodcued in the mantle "must" therefore be "natural"? Culturing means basically taking cells and "culturing" them in another place (gonad) so hence the query about mantle pearls. Even true "Keshi" form in the gonad so are correctly classified as cultured (use whichever prefix is applicable to each person reading) whether they show any internal evidence of their non-natural formation or not! Apologies if too off topic, but I believe it isn't given your observation, although it is for this particular thread! Confused? I hope not......

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Technically and legally (in some countries) a natural pearl is one which has formed without human intervention by any means. Saltwater pearls are formed in the gonads while freshwater pearls are formed in the mantles. In the case of marine mussels, they don't have gonads as a singular organ, but a series of gonoducts that share the same space as the mantles. Natural pearls form in mantles, gonads, adductors or any other organs or attachments.

Pearl farmers acquire their inventory by gathering from the wild or hatchery rearing. Wild harvests rarely go from goodie bag to the grafting table. They're held separately for many reasons, usually to grow bigger or to spawn out. Fecund or motile adults do not make good candidates for the graft lest they reject the procedure. Something simple as relaying from one area to another can cause shell damage or re-introduction to different parasites etc.. Although unintentional, they are human interventions nonetheless.

Natural pearls can be aged much like the rings of a tree and it's possible one or more may have been formed prior to the inventory harvest, but to what end? Providing proof and applying different market strategies are not necessarily compatible to the sheer volume of cultured pearling. No less dealing with the perception of authenticity. It's wiser to avoid the scenario than to instill any wrong impressions.

Unless you know with certainty the origin of natural pearls, one can infer they may be keshi or interventions. Quite frankly, I don't know why anyone would want naturals of unknown origin. It defeats the purpose. Especially in this day and age of misrepresentation and scams. By species, some are obviously natural, but naturals from known cultural species raise concerns.

 

[Orient]

Unless you know with certainty the origin of natural pearls, one can infer they may be keshi or interventions. Quite frankly, I don't know why anyone would want naturals of unknown origin. It defeats the purpose. Especially in this day and age of misrepresentation and scams. By species, some are obviously natural, but naturals from known cultural species raise concerns.

Doesn't that include all pearl dealers selling and buying Pteriidae (Gray, 1847) produced pearls? Rather difficult to know with certainty that pearls are natural unless they are historically "antique" and have provenance (documentation/history) accompanying them. Most of the auction houses would not be able to sell "natural" pearls if they follow your thinking surely? This is a complicated matter in many ways and different people will have different opinions.

What of a natural pearl forming in a wild shell that is retrieved by a diver and moved to a farm for operation? The natural formed in the mantle and is in a natural pearl sac (nobody can dispute this fact) and the operation takes place later in the gonad with mantle cells and in a sac that is due to "culturing". Does the natural pearl suddenly become a cultured pearl? Even if it does (good luck getting agreement on this point) how would anyone be able to separate it once it is removed and sold with other pearls in the market? An interesting discussion!