Natural Abalone Pearls

[SteveM]

Thanks for bringing in the other 'Haliotus' species and look forward to potential replies/photos. Re wearing La Catalina, my wife neither has the idea that it would be attractive on her. It is large, 3.25 inches long and 36 carats, with lustrous nacre all around except for the very tip (as the bow on a boat, quite appropriate in any case!).

Very interesting re mermaids, sounds beautiful. Lots of fertile ground for imagination here!

Steve

 

[xeresana]

Abalone Pearl Question

Abalone Pearl Question

Can abalone pearls be cultured? Has anyone figured out a way to do that? Just curious.

 

[nlerner]

Look at Eyris Blue Pearls: - http://www.bluepearls.com/
They use Abalone.

nora

 

[Ashley]

Hi There!

Abalone pearls are extemely difficult to culture. The Abalone animal, Haliotis (there are 7 identified species in North America, and a few different species in Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand) unfortunately are hemophiliacs- meaning that they will bleed to death if cut. Normal nucleation techniques just do not work with the Abalone.

In the early 1980's Dr. Fankboner from Pacific Pearl Culture, British Columbia, successfully experimented with culturing the Abalone Blister pearls (earlier attempts were made in the late 1800's with lackluster results), and it is also true that Eyris Pearl Co. of New Zealand has made some wonderful advances in culturing Abalone Mabe or blister pearls. Their pearls are extraordinarily colored deep blue and green tones and are very suitable for jewelry.

It is necessary to drill a hold through the surface of the animal's shell and then place the nuclei on the interior, and then seal the shell in order to stimulate pearl sac formation. Happily, pearl growth is a speedy process, and the pearls can actually attain large, lovely sizes of anywhere between 20-80 cts!

 

[KAC]

I've spoken with Dr. Fankboner who is no retired and he has leased his process to several groups attempting to cultured these pearls. It seems as though Kiwis are the only ones to have any large amount of success so far.

 

[SteveM]

Continuing to explore abalone pearl possibilities? Have focused recently on Haliotus Iris (NZ/Chatham Islands), or paua, the king of abalone pearls and shells for incredibly intense coloration and high luster. Having satisfied a certain hunger for the exotic in 'La Catalina' (H. fulgens) we have been seeking smaller, more jewellery-appropriate pieces, also in consideration of the much-higher per-carat pricing for paua.

We have just purchased a nice variety in New Zealand, including my montage of four pearls below. Apologies for poor picture quality, as I couldn't wait to receive delivery for this post and have extracted from quite crude photographs of the pearls together with their certificates of authenticity. We are intensely curious, especially regarding the spearhead-shaped pearl, which has an amazing symmetry and luster (the 'water' is apparent despite the poor image). Size of this pearl, to gauge the others, is 1.9 carat, 19mm length and 8mm at widest.

Crossing fingers!

Steve
Seattle

 

[pattye]

Hi Steve and All.
,
Recently got a natural abalone pendant, from CA, simply set in 18k, which I especially like. It is pretty nice on both sides--intense colors!!
Size of pearl itself is 16 x 33mm.

(I didn't take this photo, but was able to transfer it in.)

Pattye

So many pearls, so little time

 

[SteveM]

Pattye,

That pendant is beautiful, an especially large and smooth expanse of nacre! The incredible variety of pearls never ceases to amaze, and it seems that the variables in abalone top them all. The purveyor of the pearls we selected included photos such as the below, just to make the point!

Steve
Seattle

 

[pattye]

Hi Steve,

Thanks, it will be great to see what you do with your abalones! This is the first I saw "in person"! I can only imagine seeing such bags full! You certainly chose some beautiful colors, Hopefully someone special will soon be able to wear them???

Pattye

 

[SteveM]

Pattye,

That third question mark begs response? My wonderful wife joins my enthusiasm in this process, as I have been so suddenly and intensely awakened to her lifelong love of jewelry. Certain pieces do beg immediate application, others are simply beautiful, and await inspiration.

Steve
Seattle

 

[Virginia Hatfield]

Abalone Pearl question

Abalone Pearl question

I have two Abalone Pearls that I am thinking about selling. Can anyone tell me what they may be worth. One is 24.5 cts or 4.9 gms 31.07mm x 20.21mm x 13mm. The other one is 13.5 cts or 2.7 gms 27.85mm x 11.85mm x 7.4mm. I have pics.
Thanks

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Virginia
I just love abalone pearls! When I was pricing them at the gem show they ran from $15 a gram for the worst ones and went up from there. Yours look pretty good, so I imagine they would be double or triple that rate, though I am not really sure.

Jeremy Norris is a member here who has expertise in Abalone pearls- amd buys them too.

Then there is Wes Rankin of Pacific Coast Pearls who is another expert. They have both posted here and you can probably PM and/or email them both.

 

[SteveM]

The pearls look very good, especially the larger one!

Great prices at the gem show. Looking at typical retail availability of loose abalones of gem quality we are seeing $100 per carat ($500/gram) at Pearl Paradise?sourced by Jeremy Norris?for H. fulgens, and $150 to $250 per carat ($750-$1250/gram) for H. Iris (Paua) from original source in NZ.

It would be well to get a handle on this before getting in any deeper! Perhaps mabe at the gem show?

Steve
Seattle

 

[SteveM]

Virginia,

Thanks for posting the new photos. The flat side of the rectangular ab is brilliant. Also the larger ab, in the second photo, seems to display a quality that I have not seen frequently in abalone pearls, commonly known as water (translucent outer layers of nacre). Very pretty.

It would be interesting to know how you came across these.

Did you reach the abalone pearl experts suggested by Caitlin for pricing estimates? $3 per carat at the gem show vs. $500 to $1250 at retail allows plenty of room for imagination.

Steve
Seattle

 

[Virginia Hatfield]

ab pearls

ab pearls

Thank you Steve and Caitlin. Am still trying to reach the experts as you suggested. I got the pearls from my father who got them from either Mexico or the coast of N.California near where I live. He showed and told me about them some years ago and I remember some things and not others. I do know he said the two were from within the animal and not the shell. I have two others that are Mabe or blisters from him and am also interested in selling them eventhough I know they are not worth as much. I have photos of them too. Does anyone know of any potential buyers for my pearls?
I just can't capture the true beauty and colors of any of these pearls with my camera. The smaller of the first two has alot more blue-greens in it than shown.
I have found this site to be very,very helpful with tons of information on quality pearls You are all great!.
Thank you so much,
Virginia
California

 

[NorCalChef]

Red Abalone Pearls

Red Abalone Pearls

Found this a few years back while diving off the coast of my home town of Fort Bragg on the Mendocino coast, any ideas what it may be worth or whom I could contact for info? It's about 13x4 cm and weighs 175 carats (uncut, unpolished). Thanks in advance.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Norcal

That is really beautiful. We have 2 member who buy and sell abalone J Norris (contact him through PM or email) and Pacific Coast Peaarls.

I think your pearl is very pretty and will fetch a high price. Pacific Coast Pearls has a least a dozen abalone pearls made into the tail for mermaids, the rest of the mermaid in gold, I think your pearl will be fantasic set in a larger piece.

The link above goes to a page of brooches featuring Abalone pearls at Pacific Coast Pearls.

 

[Valeria101]

Pacific Coast Pearls has a least a dozen abalone pearls made into the tail for mermaids...

I believe those were cone-shaped pearls. The one in the pictures looks like a mabe or a thin, flat pearl.

Like those used HERE and HERE

 

[NorCalChef]

Thanks a lot for the info, but I already contacted Tish & Wes at Pacific Coast Pearls and she said it's a nice pearl, but because it is so large only a collector would be interested in it. They have dozens of these large ones, but they are hard to sell because they are too big for jewelry use. I might have some interested buyers, the problem is that I have no idea what a fair price would be for it, having seen nothing like it before, I don't want to get ripped off.

 

[knotty panda]

Too big for jewelry? In what universe? Think about how you would like your prized possession displayed, it's your baby and you know it best. Give it some thought and see what you can come up with.

P. S. I think it would gorgeous lengthwise on a very simple chain. It carries it's own beauty and needs no embellishment. Or, if that doesn't strike your fancy, how about a belt buckle! Talk about one unique piece!