Misc question - why cut up the shell?

[Reiah]

Hi,
I was just watching the video on YouTube that pearl paradise put together- the one at Fukui Shell Factory. It shows the process of cutting the shell into strips, then into cubes. Does this become the pearl nucleus of an Akoya pearl? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm only asking to satisfy my own curiosity.

thanks,
Reiah

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Yes, they make round beads to use as the nucleus of Akoyas, South Seas, Tahitians and, I believe, Sea of Cortez pearls. The especially thick shell from which these beads are formed comes from the Mississippi River.

 

[Valeria101]

Weren't the shells of local Chinese mussels?

 

[CortezPearls]

There are many sources of shell to use as nuclei (Pinctada maxima, the endangered Tridacna gigas and many Unionids) as well as the "famous" Bironite material.

The shell of several species of Missisippi Freshwater Pearly Mussels (Unionidae) are considered a de-facto standard since it was the Japanese that introduced this standard (and controlled the Pearl Industry for most of the 20th Century).

But you can use other sources...I don't doubt many Chinese are producing nuclei from their shells and we know -thanks to Jeremy Sheperd & Doug Fiske- that they are also employing the endangered Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) to produce nuclei for the recent production of "Fireball Pearls".

In most instances, the process for production would be the same: cut strips of shell, then square them and finally grind them into spheres. Hope this photo illustrates the process...

 

[boo]

Douglas is back! Hooray - are you going to be a regular presence again or is this just a fly-by post?

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Many Chinese mussels are used to make nuclei although it is difficult to get the larger sizes from them. I have seen and worked with clam which does feature a similar cutting process. I have also seen ads for carbide drill bits promoting as being 'good to use for South Sea Pearls whose nuclei is sometimes hard'. No prize for guessing the type of nucleus!

Nuclei production typically works in well with button manufacturing. the buttons are made from the flatter section of the shell and the nuclei from the thicker section and/or the hinge.