blister pearl or nautilus shell???

[help me with pearls]

Are these the same thing or different? I'm going bonkers trying to correctly identify the pearl in this set I have. Appreciate any and all help.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Hi,

This is a piece of nautilus shell. It is sometimes called an "osmena pearl" but it's not actually a pearl.

A blister pearl forms when a hemispherical form is attached to the inside of a shell and nacre is secreted over it. The resulting half-pearl is cut away with some of the surrounding shell and the hemispherical form is left inside it.

In a mabé pearl, however, the half-pearl is cut away from the surrounding shell, the inserted form over which nacre was deposited is removed and the pearl is filled in. The back side is covered, usually with a mother of pearl disk. A mabé pearl is thus an assembled pearl.

 

[pattye]

Welcome, Help Me,

Osmena "pearls" in the natural blue color like this are favorites of mine! As PD says, they are cut from the inner ribs of the Nautilus shell, then filled with resin and a backing applied just as a mabe would be finished. That is one substantial ring!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I thought (assumed) the blue color was from the filling being blue. Apparently it isn't.

Edit: In the process of looking this up, I came across an article from 2014 Scientific American that says Nautiluses are overfished, in danger of extinction and insufficiently protected. I have to say this makes me sad...I love nautiluses.

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/should-we-stop-selling-nautilus-shells/

More articles:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/science/25nautilus.html?_r=0

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/slider_stories/2013/07/nautilus/nautilus.html

 

[BWeaves]

That is a gorgeous "osmena pearl" / nautilus shell ring. I've never seen one in person, and probably never will.

 

[help me with pearls]

Thank you all so much!

 

[newberry]

That is a gorgeous "osmena pearl" / nautilus shell ring. I've never seen one in person, and probably never will.

Our Pattye has a TDF necklace with many of these. Maybe we can get her to bring it to the next ruckus for you to see

 

[amti]

Very pretty set!

 

[JerseyPearl]

I would love to see pattye's piece! Maybe we can convince her to share a photo?

 

[Red]

I would love to see pattye's piece! Maybe we can convince her to share a photo?

She has one for sale on her Etsy site.

 

[PurpleRose]

That is a beautiful set you have! The blue color is gorgeous, and I love the engraving on the ring.

 

[LVLanghanke]

That brooch is insane and just so lovely! The ring is also beautiful!

 

[JerseyPearl]

She has one for sale on her Etsy site.

Red, thank you! I took a look...it's really beautiful!

 

[Katbran]

Very informative! Thank you Pattye and PD ! Very pretty ring and broach !