Golden Pearl farms

[JBazar]

I recently visited the Philippines and stayed at Jewelmers pearl farms. I learned about all aspects of pearl farming in great detail, it was an amazing experience. This is a link to my facebook album filled with images from my trip feel free to check them out!


http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2140622&id=22804206

 

[JBazar]

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[pearlescence]

Those pearls are stunning. And bees too (I am also a beekeeper!)

 

[JBazar]

Yes the pearls are beautiful i removed a few of them from the oysters myself. Jewelmer actually teaches the local people sustainable farming techniques to improve their way of life and their impact on the environment. The bees are there as a demo to teach the locals the craft of bee keeping so that they can trade the honey.

 

[pearlescence]

I'm worried about those bees - there seem to be only a couple of frames in that hive and there is no sealed brood or sealed honey visible. The bees look aimless on the comb. My guess is that they have lost their queen so no brood, and with no new workers no foraging either. If that was my colony I would be very worried indeed about them.
What do bees have to do with pearls...errr....bees are pearls amongst insects?

 

[CLICLASP]

I have always been wondering if a pearl is gold (or any other color) because of the piece of the mantle or because of the oyster it has been grafted into?
Would it be possible to have a pearl of a certain DNA /color from a piece a mantle grafted in another type of oyster being only the surrogated mother oyster?
Not sure I am clear in explanation

 

[AMc]

Those are some seriously large goldens! Good color saturation, too- what a remarkable trip to have taken- I'm a teensy bit jealous

 

[jacques.christophe]

Very nice pictures Josh! It was great to be able to show you around the farms!

 

[GemGeek]

A chip off the old block, eh? I like the idea of the Bazar dynasty!