Circled pearls: why do they grow like that?

[olmander]

Can anybody explain to me why some Tahitian pearls grow with circles and some not? Why drops are mostly without circles while the circled Tahitians are more symmetrical?

In other words, what happens with the mollusk when it creates circles?
Sorry if I missed something and such a thread existed before, could not find anything on this topic.

I am looking at my new 36 inch long baroque Tahitian collier, which a vendor has put together for me with love and care, and enjoying all the blue, green, peacock and purple colours coming together with the circles. That's exactly why I like circles more than drops. But I failed to answer my husband's question WHY they became circled. Help!!!

Sorry for the photo - this time I could not catch all the colours hidden in the pearls...there is much more of them...
and they are still waking up after a long flight in a box...

Olga

 

[effisk]

Circled pearls are circled because they're turning in the pearl sac. At one point and for some reason the production of nacre slows down on parts of the the pearl sac's surface. Because the pearl is moving in the sac, the depression follows, thus creating circles. It's a theory that's still being discussed. I think it would be easy to verify it with marked nuclei and regular x-raying of the oysters/mussels.

I believe there are other theories.

 

[SpaceNeedle]

Sorry for the photo - this time I could not catch all the colours hidden in the pearls...there is much more of them...
and they are still waking up after a long flight in a box...

Olga

One of the tricks from this forum that I think brings out the colours is to put the strand under water in a white container. This seems to work well for me.

 

[pearlescence]

Getting the silk wet is not a good idea - inside the pearl it doesn't dry quickly and is more likely to rot, which isn't good (unless you are in the re-stringing business - then go right ahead)

 

[Caitlin]

That is true in England, but not in Arizona. New Mexico Utah, the eastern half of Oregon and Washinton, most of Texas, and California in the summer. Any other place with low humidity would be OK

Now my pitch, which I have not indulged in for months at least:
No reaction to humidity is one of the reasons I like PowerPro White.

(The only other usable color is the gray-green "Moss" color, which I use on darker pearls. In my opinion, it draws little attention with black freshwaters. Colors like purple make the moss color visable, so I use white most of the time.

More reasons I use it is, it is incredibly strong, it does not stretch at all, wet or dry, you do not need to use wax, it doesn't tangle much, and it is easier to untangle than silk.


People think silk is the only way to go and the public expects it too, but silk has many faults except the variety of colors. It rots, it stretches, it requires more frequent restringing, it is easy to break, it needs to be waxed, the tangles are harder to get untangled, it absorbs body oils and skin flakes, it gets dirty easily.

 

[pearlescence]

I agree with all you say Caitlin, but if the silk breaks the necklace is either guarnteed (for the first year after sale) or I get to charge!
Does your stuff drape as well as silk?

 

[effisk]

Now my pitch, which I have not indulged in for months at least:
No reaction to humidity is one of the reasons I like PowerPro White.

I thought it was some kind of dental floss until I googled it.

 

[Miriam Reed]

Circled pearls are circled because they're turning in the pearl sac. At one point and for some reason the production of nacre slows down on parts of the the pearl sac's surface. Because the pearl is moving in the sac, the depression follows, thus creating circles. It's a theory that's still being discussed. I think it would be easy to verify it with marked nuclei and regular x-raying of the oysters/mussels.

I believe there are other theories.

Many farmers use second and third-quality nuclei to save on expenses and the more irregular surfaces on some of these may also influence the development of circle pearls. Another theory is that disease or stress may cause faults in the pearl sac, contributing to the formation of circle pearls.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Very nice pearls, Olga-- got some more photos for us?

 

[Josh]

Effisk, sharp post. Right on.
Miriam, I did some tests years ago where I carved X's into nuclei then grafted with them. The X's totally disappeared and the pearls were right on par with the rest. I believe in a good nucleus because the more holes in it, the more places for bacteria and other nasties to hide. From my experience though at my own farm and at friend's places, there does not seem to be any correlation between circles and nucleus quality. Disease or stress seems improbable too as we see killer pearls in deathbed oysters as well as the vibrant, healthy ones.
What I can say is that certain places in the body of the oyster favor circles more than others. Also, the larger the nucleus in the first graft operation, the more circles typically. None of this answers Olga's question of why though. Sorry

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

People think silk is the only way to go and the public expects it too, but silk has many faults except the variety of colors. It rots, it stretches, it requires more frequent restringing, it is easy to break, it needs to be waxed, the tangles are harder to get untangled, it absorbs body oils and skin flakes, it gets dirty easily.

Silk is thought of as "traditional" to use from when silk was expensive to the masses so pearls and silk are both ingraned in many as "status symbols".

At one time if one could not afford silk, Horse hair or Linen was used. oh and the holes in pearls were much bigger than what we are capable of drilling today. A lot of that traditional stuff still stays wih us its is so ingrained in our socciety, many do not realize it..
I have yet to use the power pro stuff.. but am looking into trying it.

Yes ya'll are converting me slowly pearl by pearl I am coming out of the renaissance... LOL


I like some of the rings on pearls gives charachter especially to bigger sized pearls.


cheers
Ash

 

[olmander]

None of this answers Olga's question of why though. Sorry

Well... I got some ideas at least in what direction to think... although it is clear that it is not clear .
But:
- why do some pearls start turning in a pearl sac? Is it connected with the larger nucleus in the first graft operation, mentioned by Josh?
- why is it happenning only with Tahitian pearls and not with the other types? (or am I wrong?)
- if some places in the body of the oyster favour circles, is there any way to control the process while nucleating?

Sorry for more questions, I don't expect answering all of them, just find it fascinating how it works...

 

[olmander]

And about making photos: just made another attempt, without putting the strand in the water but making it slightly wet with a wet hand. Here we go:

 

[Pearlgully]

- why is it happenning only with Tahitian pearls and not with the other types? (or am I wrong?)

I've seen circles on white south sea pearls, also.

Gail

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I have dyed freshwaters with similar circles as well; it's not just Tahitians.

Thanks for the photoa Olga-- lovely colors!

 

[pearlescence]

Yes, I have seen plenty of freshwaters with circles too. Maybe they don't make the market so much because generally freshwater are cheaper so they don't necessarily get on the market - especially now when high quality are becoming more plentful

 

[aggiep]

I have a multi strand peridot and SS (Thailand) circle pearl necklace. So there are definately SS circle pearls.

 

[Caitlin]

Look at these. Some people know to whom they belong. More people will gues when they read the title, which is Pink South Sea 13.5 mm

 

[effisk]

what is the clasp made of?

 

[pearlescence]

Caitlin - pink....either you or me?