Conch Pearl

[hopkins231]

I’m working on an airport project in South Caicos Island. Our company is doing the Geotechnical inspections for the project. Someone told a local fisherman that we had a lab on island and might help him with getting an idea of what the value of a pearl he found in a conch. Knowing nothing about conch pearls I Googled it and the forum came up.

We would like to get an idea of the value of the pearl. The following are a few measurements (photos attached):

Color: Light pink (with a little white nip at one end)
Weight: 6.2 grams
Length: 22.42mm
Width: 14.47mm​

Thanks for your help, I think it would be a great opportunity for him and his family and I don’t want anyone to take advantage of him.

Please let me know if I need post more information about the pearl.

 

[Pareltje]

Congratulations. That's a terrific find. It's a conch (Strombus gigas) pearl you have.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

That is quite large for a conch pearl, and yes, they are valuable.

Here are a few websites that sell (and buy) conch pearls for an idea of what they sell for:

http://www.thepearlcollector.com

http://www.karipearls.com

 

[CathyKeshi]

That is magnificent ... Congratulations to the fisherman, and kudos to you for wanting to protect and help him!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

That's a very nice pearl.

Interesting timing on this post. The reason I mention this, there's been some discussion recently on CITES endangered animals and import permits.

I got this from a T and C flora and fauna site.

"It is illegal to export conch shells from the Turks and Caicos, and also illegal to import them into many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Interestingly, conch shells are the 9th most confiscated item by UK Customs and Border Protection."

If the provenance is taken at face value, this pearl was harvested in a legal manner. I strongly suggest you advise your client to do two things. First, provide proof of licensing and the time and statistical area of the harvest. With this documentation, apply for an import permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The latter will certainly insist upon the former.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

P.S. I don't think there is any cost for the permits (just time), but a certified pearl would undoubtedly have value added.

 

[Katbran]

That's a beauty !!

 

[MSC]

Always a good reminder, that tags are usually needed for conch pearls.

 

[hopkins231]

Thanks all I'll relay all your comments to the Fisherman

 

[hopkins231]

What are tags?

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

What are tags?

Necessary permits, normally associated with transporting and/or possessing wildlife or parts thereof.

 

[hopkins231]

Ok, thanks

 

[amti]

Wow, that's a big one and very shiny! It isn't as bright in color and doesn't have the flame type markings that make a conch super valuable, but I am sure there is a nice price for it. I didn't know they were endangered shells. It wasn't too long ago I read that some pearl farmers were successful in grafting them, thus increasing the number of conch pearls on the market. Curious if this is a natural or cultured pearl.

 

[hopkins231]

Yes Ma'ma its natural

 

[bluidragon]

Culturing Conch pearls

Culturing Conch pearls

The person who found the beautiful Conch pearls is more than lucky. Talking anlout winning the lottery. To empathize the importance of the find, the Science Daily on November 16, 2016 wrote an article of the research presently being performed in Florida.
The article title is "Creating Cultured Pearls From The Queen Conch: Scientists Unlock Mystery" . It is with interest I pass this on.

 

[bluidragon]

The perl IS specator.