Natural Pearl Explosion - our newest Pearl of the Week

[GemGeek]

From Dave LeBlanc of Lagoon Island Pearls comes an amazing photograph of a mussel exploding with pearls. Read Dave's explantion by clicking HERE.



Enjoy,
Blaire

 

[CathyKeshi]

Everything about this is astonishing and wonderful!

 

[GemGeek]

Everything about this is astonishing and wonderful!

You are definitely a glass half full kind of person!

 

[newberry]

A couple more like that and you would have a necklace

 

[Pareltje]

A couple more like that and you would have a necklace

The best comment of the day. It made me laugh....

Great article, Dave.

 

[BWeaves]

Wow. Amazing.

 

[MSC]

Super cool!!!

 

[JerseyPearl]

Nature is amazing, and precious.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

From Dave LeBlanc of Lagoon Island Pearls comes an amazing photograph of a mussel exploding with pearls.

Thank you Blaire, for including a scientific article in P-G's weekly showcase.

While big pearls are highly sought by aficionados everywhere, the greatest scientific data may be gleaned from the tiniest pearls. After all, a pearl scarcely a few days old is surrounded by evidence.

This work is critically important to dispel myths about pearl onset and formation. While it's understood pearls are formed by any combination of factors, this recent work entirely debunks many of the old wife's tales. Clearly, the pearls demonstrated in the article were formed in the absence of everything once thought true. There's no broken shells, no grains of sand, no parasites and no irritation, yet pearls formed in great numbers within the tissues of single specimens.

There's only so many hours in a day and pennies in a dollar to do advanced pathology in mollusks, but this article comes on the heels of some exciting news. I've been collaborating with Ana Vasiliu at the Stratigraphy and Paleontology lab at the U. of Granada, Spain for a few years now. Much of our work was cursory and general in nature, but given the speculations before us, we've been gradually gaining traction toward higher level research projects. What once were observations by eye and magnifying glass, evolved into scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this manner, we've been able to document changes in nacreous structures. While these are after the fact observations, we've perked interest from the scientific community to observe these cellular modifications in real time, using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

That's exciting news to a lowly field worker like myself who can on demand, produce adequate sampling material in a timely manner.

 

[pierrettedE]

Very interesting indeed!

 

[MSC]

Someone will be standing on your giant shoulders soon, Dave, I'm sure.

 

[Naan]

Thank you Blaire and Dave!

 

[CathyKeshi]

"Why...?" Why are pearls formed? Why are pearls certain colors? Why are pearls shiny, translucent and glowing ... or not? Why colors inside shells? Why are healthy oceans and clean water important? Why, Why, Why ...??? How incredibly blessed we are to have growers, farmers, scientists, vendors and friends who ask and seek true answers to these and more questions ... and Pearl-Guide to talk about these beautiful questions!

 

[Katbran]

Really interesting Dave and thank you Blaine for bringing this to our attention!

 

[Pareltje]

Great information Dave and Blaire.

 

[GemGeek]

Thank you, everyone. Dave has unique insight into pearl formation that only field observation can provide. It's great to have our own technical resource as an active member!

 

[pattye]

Thank you, everyone. Dave has unique insight into pearl formation that only field observation can provide. It's great to have our own technical resource as an active member!

Well said, Blaire! We appreciate you so much, Dave, and all the insights you share!!