Is it a pearl or is it Kryptonite?

[jshepherd]

By all accounts this pearl looks like a pretty normal baroque freshwater pearl.

 

[jshepherd]

But we decided to add a bit of light to it ...

 

[jshepherd]

Then we turned off all the lights and took another picture! Can you imagine a whole strand of these on at night?!

 

[pearlescence]

Have you been buying pearls from Montgomery Burns in Springfield again Jeremy?

 

[jshepherd]

It looks like it, doesn't it It is just one of those oddities of the pearl world.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Can you imagine a whole strand of these on at night?!

Spectacular Jeremy!

Is this a single occurence, or do all of them exhibit luminescence?

 

[Hanaleimom]

How long does this luminescence last? I am assuming they are sort of like Super-Luminova watch hands, which do not last long. Can you imagine glowing all night long in a club?

 

[Ramona]

Is this the water pollution in China? Or do all pearls glow like this?

 

[jshepherd]

I'm not sure what is causing it, but I know that it is intentional. The guy in China that grew this pearl (same producer that grows souffle) claims that there is a special nucleus, but I am almost 100% certain that there is a coating as well. I'll know soon enough.

 

[pattye]

I love your sleuthing around, Jeremy!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

...but I know that it is intentional. The guy in China that grew this pearl (same producer that grows souffle) claims that there is a special nucleus, but I am almost 100% certain that there is a coating as well...

From the image, the light doesn't appear to be generated by the nucleus, no less through opaque layers.

My guess would be a post-harvest treatment with a phosphoric compound.

 

[Ramona]

Yes, I agree with Dave. The spotty nature suggests that the compound(s) is not evenly embedded. What type of light source is that in terms of wavelength?

 

[Caitlin]

It is kind of cool......disco pearls? This guy is creative, isn't he!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Yes, I agree with Dave. The spotty nature suggests that the compound(s) is not evenly embedded. What type of light source is that in terms of wavelength?

The green light from glow-in-the-dark toys and light sticks (Zinc sulfide) is 520nm.

Normally copper is used to activate it, but in other applications cadmium or strontium is used to make light from the compound persist longer.

I wouldn't advise anyone to wear pearls treated with heavy metals though.

 

[Ramona]

Ha, I have a story about a Victoria's secret bra to tell regarding the effects of heavy metals. I can say without a doubt heavy metals pearls would only be for girls with strong nerves.

 

[KarinK]

Ha, I have a story about a Victoria's secret bra to tell regarding the effects of heavy metals. I can say without a doubt heavy metals pearls would only be for girls with strong nerves.

C'mon Ramona! You can't leave us hanging there. We want the story!

- Karin

 

[Ramona]

Well, I woke up one morning quite differently than the night before. All the skin on my upper front body looked like it had been burned. After a rush to the computer and a couple of google image searches I could only find one condition that produced similar results: Inflammatory breast cancer. It is a cancer that develops very quickly and kills you. So, I got a bit hysterical. After some calming down time, however, I put 2 and 2 together and remembered I bought this bra on sale. Given that this company sells cheap products and the stories about environmental problems in China, it seemed reasonable that this could be the cause. I went shopping for a higher end product and after two weeks the burns had peeled off and I was fine. Or almost. I still had allergies to any kind of clothing for about 6 months after that. I later discovered there was talk about a class action suit against Victoria's secret regarding heavy metal contamination of their clothing. So, I probably was not the only one. From then on I bought clothes mainly from companies that use eco products. So, I would be a bit wary about pearls with undisclosed treatments from China.

 

[Narcissa]

Holy D Cup, Batman, that really does sound like a good class action suit. Glad you're ok now.
It did occur to me on first sight that I might not want that kind of pearl in much contact with my skin.

 

[Nerida]

Can't vouch for the effects of heavy metal from bras or pearls either, but do have to say that I had a very very sick little pet galah (a type of cockatoo) recently from exposure to (not ingestion of) heavy metals... thankfully recovered now, but not without some serious veterinary work!
Jeremy, just wondering what these guys would think was attractive about glow in the dark pearls???? Kitch doesn't even begin to describe it!

 

[jshepherd]

I think they are just experimenting with different things. There is so much of that going on in China. This particular experiment is a bit bizarre.