Melo Melo Pearl

[Owen Henderson]

Hi Everybody,

Its been a while since I have made a posting. I guess I just did not have anything interesting to report..... Until now anyway. My associate has a recovered a very rare natural Melo-Pearl from an island near Bali!!

These natural pearls are definitely a collectors item as the conditions required to produce a Melo-Pearl happens very rarely in nature and all attempts to culture these pearls have never succeeded.

The size is 23mm and weight is 7.3 grams. See attached picture

My associate is interested to hear from anybody who would like to make an offer.

 

[SteveM]

That's a nice pearl with lustrous surface and good shape/size, but the coffee/pink color could equally be from Cassis Cornuta (also a rare, wonderful pearl found in Indonesia). Was the pearl found in situ with its shell? Melo has a wide range of color but the 'archtypical' would be a more intense orange, such as this pearl of similar size.

 

[DrTKStern]

Hi, I agree with Steve on the type of pearl. Very nice. Tom Stern

 

[Owen Henderson]

Thanks for the comments on the Melo Pearl. Sorry but I am not sure about if it was found in situ with its shell. The pearl does not have a clear flame pattern or deep orange colour so is a bit different from others I have seen. How can I tell if it is Cassis Cornuta pearl?

There is also a natural Kima White Pearl. Do you know anything about these pearls?

 

[SteveM]

Thanks for the comments on the Melo Pearl. Sorry but I am not sure about if it was found in situ with its shell. The pearl does not have a clear flame pattern or deep orange colour so is a bit different from others I have seen. How can I tell if it is Cassis Cornuta pearl?

There is also a natural Kima White Pearl. Do you know anything about these pearls?

Nautilus isn't the only mollusk subject to authentication problems. There is no scientific way to match pearls and their shells (like hair, shell material contains no workable DNA). So it is all about provenance, and generally-accepted typicity.

Kima: Excellent. Your post has brought this colloquial name for Tridacna Gigas to my attention for the first time. A far better name! However, it is generally difficult to ascertain type between the various Tridacna species, labs generally don't go any farther than 'Tridacna Sp' when making such ID.

 

[Owen Henderson]

I just googled Tridacna Gigas.... it appears to be more commonly know as a Giant Clam. I had no idea these mollusc's produce such beautifully white pearls....

 

[SteveM]

I have been advised that Kima refers to all Tridacna (giant clam) species. It is said to bring good luck in life, although I would assume to a far lesser degree than Nautilus pearls (Mutiara Lobo), with which Tridacna Pearls (Mutiara Kima) are often confused—intentionally or otherwise.

Tridacna can offer the gem quality of Melo or Conch, but it is incumbent upon these pearls to achieve greater intensity of flame and chatoyance with perfect symmetry to compensate for their lack of technicolor. In my mind, a great Tridacna specimen is the most beautiful non-nacreous pearl of all for its elegance and versatility. I would even go so far as to call such examples the 'diamonds' of pearls.

 

[GemGeek]

In my mind, a great Tridacna specimen is the most beautiful non-nacreous pearl of all for its elegance and versatility. I would even go so far as to call such examples the 'diamonds' of pearls.

That's only because you own the most beautiful tridacna pearl in existence!

 

[CLICLASP]

Hum, I have to confess that I have a Tridacna pearl (just joining my small family of natural pearl : melo melo, conch, horse conch, quahog, abalone and the most underrated natural american river pearl), that perfectly complies with Steve 's description :

Tridacna specimen is the most beautiful non-nacreous pearl of all for its elegance and versatility. I would even go so far as to call such examples the 'diamonds' of pearls.

Just trying to find out the way to take a photo showing its flame and a lot confused on how to catch it
As soon a I succeed, will post it here...

 

[Owen Henderson]

Pictured here is some more natural pearls. The local name is kepala kambing. They all have a geat lustre.

 

[SteveM]

Just trying to find out the way to take a photo showing its flame and a lot confused on how to catch it
As soon a I succeed, will post it here...

Please post it at the new thread I just created in an attempt to drop 'Tridacna' in favor of 'Kima.' If we pull together here, we can have an impact!

As for photography, these pearls like directional light in order to maximize the contrast of their reflective/non-reflective surfaces.

Owen: those are very nice pearls. Any idea of the Latin or English name for the gastropod kepala kambing? I'm also checking.

 

[Owen Henderson]

Hi Steve, kepala kambing is not a scientific name but is slang term used by native Indonesians. Translated into English as "Goats Head" because the shell of the mollusk looks like a goats head. Sorry that there is not a more scientific meaning behind the name.

I will post more pictures of the the cassis cornuta pearls shortly.

 

[SteveM]

See if your friend with the porcellanous pearls can supply a photo of the gastropod. I'm told it also goes by Kajao and Serbung on different islands in the archipelago, and is a shell similar in size to Bursa Bufo (Kasturi/lamp) or Cassis (helmet), if not the same or closely related. Not much help, I know.

 

[Owen Henderson]

Another photo below. these are 2 cassis pearls and not sure bout the white barouque pearl.

 

[SteveM]

The white pearl must be P. Maxima, but greatly in need of natural certification to be purchased as such.

 

[jshepherd]

I concur with the P. maxima. It definitely looks cultured so a cert would be an absolute necessity.

 

[Owen Henderson]

I am told the white pearl is a natural pearl from the Giwang Clam. Giwang is translated as "Ear Stud" so I assume it is a clam that looks like an ear..... It is a bit hard being more professional when you are trying to decipher the local dialects!

I guess the nearest lab for confirming it being a natural pearl is in Bangkok. They have GIA and IGI there.

 

[SteveM]

Yes, the white one is easy, and I certainly agree with the gem labs' 'Tridacna Sp' ID for these, given the plethora of local names for the handful of giant clam species.

 

[pearlescence]

Surely the whole point of these labs is accuracy. Using the 'plethora' of venacular names as a reason to avoid exactitude of proper classification of species etc would be a bit weedy

 

[SteveM]

The labs are unable to determine shell ID from pearls, except by generally accepted typicity. Tridacna Sp ID is quite narrow, actually.

I wouldn't want the labs getting too specific given their technological limitations in this regard.

Douglas at Cortez Pearls with his Pteria Sterna glowing red under UV is a remarkable and elegant exception.