Natural Rainbow Lipped Oyster Pearl in situ!!!

[CortezPearls]

Found a good sized natural pearl inside one of our Cultured Pearl Oysters (Pteria sterna). The photos came out nicely and want to share some with you all...

As you can see, the pearl is growing in the mantle and the tunic is soo thin that you can actually see the color and shape of the pearl itself. The pearl was extracted and the photo is also included.

The pearl's max size was 9.0mm, smallest 8.8mm.

I am a Dad!

 

[CortezPearls]

And another one

And another one

On this large (4 year old) Rainbow Lipped Oyster, we found another Natural Pearl. The tunic is thinner that the previous one and you can actually see that it is a Circl? (circled) oval shaped pearl. Don't have a photo of it after harvest (sorry!). It measured 9.3mm at its widest.

So, I had twins...diferent "mothers" tough

 

[Caitlin]

What a supurb pearl! It looks like the other pearl is going to be fabulous too!
And congratulations! boy or girl Name? etc?? OK I get. I'd feel the same. Are you going to name ithem?

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Caitlin,

This should end the discussion whether one can grow non-nucleated pearls in the mantle tissue of marine species. If the scallop can grow round pearls there by itself, man can tissue nucleate them to the same effect. Actually, the above pearls should qualify as keshis since they occured in a scallop that was already bead nucleated if I am not mistaken.

Zeide

 

[jshepherd]

I agree. How can we be certain that it is not a bi-product, hence a keshi (but not in the typical mantle-particle sense)? I know, I know, one in the gonad one in the mantle - but it seems to be a bit too much of a coincidence to me...especially a round.

 

[Karen Overgaard Radelet]

Thank you for the pic!

Thank you for the pic!

Thank you very much for posting the pic of the oyster. It means a lot to me. I have purchased a couple Fabulous Sea of Cortez finished jewelry pieces from a seller/designer whom I hold in the very highest regard. It's great to learn and see the science involved. My pearl collection is for my children. (great excuse!) I enjoy wearing them now!!! My 11 year old son loves the science...in anything.

 

[CortezPearls]

Natural Pearls 2006 Sea of Cortez Pearl Harvest

Natural Pearls 2006 Sea of Cortez Pearl Harvest

Ok, in regard to the "keshi affair" (Zeide & Jeremy: I really think highly of you both) about my 100% Natural Pearls (not Keshi)... I really want to avoid disclosing certain aspects of our operation, but I can assure you these are 100% Natural Pearls. Tested & rechecked with X-rays and by our Customers. This year, all pearls came out of farm raised Rainbow Lipped Pearl Oysters WITHOUT nucleation. Last year we did have an unexpected surprise.

We are located in Bacochibampo Bay, Gulf of California...a place once considered a "Placer": a natural pearl haven. Hence we can expect natural pearls.

Needless to say, the amount of these we get each year is in average of 5 large (5-9 mm) pearls, 60 small (2-4.9mm) and a handful of smaller pearls (less than 1.9mm).

I have posted a small video of the extraction process of one of our Natural pearls (2006) in our website (perlas.com.mx) inside "Recent News & Events". I apologize for the lack of detail in the video, being optimized for web usage. Still, some people may find it interesting to see...like watching a baby being born. You can actually see the pearl inside the mantle. Beautiful sight...it feels incredible when you pluck out a cultured pearl from an oyster BUT with NATURAL PEARLS your hands shake and your heart races!!!

Warm Regards,
Douglas McLaurin
Perlas del Mar de Cortez

 

[CortezPearls]

Shapes of Natural Pearls 2006 Sea of Cortez Pearl Harvest

Shapes of Natural Pearls 2006 Sea of Cortez Pearl Harvest

By the way, forgot mentioning that NONE of these Natural Pearls are Round. Not a single one in the last 4 years...mostly they are Button shaped, many Teardrop shaped, several are Circled (ringed) and the smaller ones usually are baroques.

Yet another photo of another specimen with many small light colored pearls.

Regards,

Douglas McLaurin
Perlas del Mar de Cortez
Guaymas, Mexico

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Doug
Thanks for posting. Those pictures are truly educational- as is your site. The clip loads fast, even with my dial up connection.

I have been wanting to tell you that your article on the Yaquis has received compliments from a couple of Tucson Yaquis for being accurate, so altogether your site is really educational. Gold Star!

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Doug,

If they occur spontaneously in shells not otherwise nucleated for pearl production, they are indeed natural pearls and should be considered such.

Keshi pearls are by definition either developed from mantle tissue displaced in nucleation, deliberately produced through tissue nucleation, or occuring spontaneously in shells that are otherwise nucleated for pearl cultivation. The x-ray results have nothing to do with it. You may also note that the shape of your spontaneously occurring pearls is very much like those of low-tech Chinese freshwater pearls since both developed without nucleus in the mantle and the location of pearl growth plays a significant role in pearl development and resulting shape.

Zeide

 

[CortezPearls]

I agree with you a 100%. If I find a "natural" pearl out of a seeded oyster (even if I have already obtained the expected cultured pearl) THEN I will have a 1% possibility of this pearl being Cultured (keshi) and will NOT sell it as a natural... but these, ARE a 100% Natural and we know for it for sure. Will not give out details, but Natural...no incisions, nada de nada: Obra de Dios...God's Gift.

By the way, changed the video...you may still find it in place, at least until October 2006. The webpage is being revamped, won't have the same feel or usage (perlas.com.mx) so grab a copy of the video while you can!

Regards,

Douglas McLaurin
Perlas del Mar de Cortez

 

[CortezPearls]

Whoa! Just found this very old post and thought I could offer the link of the above mentioned video since it is now available in YouTube. So, just click HERE!

 

[CLICLASP]

Nice that you "excavated" this old post,
Finding these pearls looks so much like obstetric delivery, no surprising to feel as a father, do you?

 

[CortezPearls]

Oh yes! For every little "baby" had to be taken care & nurtured for many long months...at least twice as long as Human babies!

 

[mausketeer]

That was cool! (but I watched a video of a "gas giant" afterwards...... um, should've eaten lunch first........ yuck)

So you can think of pearls sort of like BABIES - they're born in all this gunk and ick, but after we clean them up they're lovely and beautiful! lol (but with pearls you don't have to deal with diapers and spit-up).......

- Jodie -

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

...but with pearls you don't have to deal with diapers and spit-up...

Does drool count? If so, I'm guilty as sin.

 

[Caitlin]

did you see those oysters drooling out sand in Douglas' "there is no grain of sand in the pearl" video? Click on that saying in my signature. Go to Youtube and sign up for Pearlman69's videos. I think my link is in Spanish. (Estoy practicando para mi viajo a Yucatan! I need a Spanish keyboard on my computer!!!!) I have a huge crush on Los Tres amigos de Cortez Pearls. Well, it's on the pearls, but some of it just spreads around.

If anyone runs out and buys pearls on my say so, PLEASE go visit Cortez Pearls' online store. Cortez' pearls are the most beautiful being cultured and that is a big mouthful. In my opinion, anyway....The closest natural pearls to the colors found in abalone shells. But the harvest is so tiny, they are the rarest cultured pearls and they are the only ones grown in Pteria sterna, the Rainbow lipped oyster.

Not to mention Douglas is a fountain of pearl teaching for those who get the pearl fever. Learning about pearls is palliative, when you can't afford to buy any more for a while.......

 

[CortezPearls]

It seems I have a knack for "revivals", including the reviving of this old thread. Just wanted to share information and photos about these 2 unique (and large) natural pearls. Enjoy!

More information over at my Blog