Nautilus pearl

[pearlshooter]

Ok , I have lost count! How many Nautilus Pearls are there?
Tim

 

[SteveM]

Ok , I have lost count! How many Nautilus Pearls are there?
Tim

Perfect timing! I have taken pains at intervals during this thread, and will do so again now, to confirm that there are exactly ZERO Nautilus pearls at this point, at least insofar as the Western conventional pearl trade is concerned. The one certified pearl is disputed by every other major pearl lab, as certification was supported anecdotally—in much the same manner as the evidence I have presented here, albeit in far lesser detail.

We're just trying to help things along…and I'm truly fascinated by the pearls we've acquired regardless of their species origin. Whatever they are, they are rare and they are beautiful. Perhaps even powerful.

 

[GemGeek]

Perhaps even powerful.

Buah hah ha!

 

[Caitlin]

They speak for themselves--and they are certainly not anything else anyone has seen. The certs will come, but they will only concur with what your eyes already tell you. It is not like measuring if some pearls are sea or fresh water.They are clearly a "new" pearl that does not need tests to identify it. It has always been there, just not noticed by Westerners. And I strongly doubt they are blown glass done by secret guilds in deep dark secret places.

The ones I have seen-Steve's and Tom's- clearly to be a new species of pearl natural unlike any other, but all like each other in easily describable ways..

Scientists find new critters everyday. If they are different enough from other species, they get to name them and add them to the taxonomic tree.

Have any of the dissenting labs tried to prove the null hypothesis- that these are not an identified type of pearl? I doubt they have gotten very far.

 

[purlgurl]

As an aside, I knew that chattoyance swimming under a milky layer looked familiar. These are pictures of cloisonne enamel, by a world class exponent (who I happened to study under, briefly.) Needless to say, she also loves pearls.
She creates this effect, by texturing the base layer of metal, typically roller printing, either fine silver or pure gold. Layers of transparent coloured enamels are then fired over the top, in a kiln. Finally, translucent, opalescent enamel is carefully layered over the transparent, so it seems to float over the surface. The transitions between colours, where they seem to effortlessly graduate, are layed on, often grain by grain, of powder fine ground glass.
Perhaps it is similar to the time & care taken, by the Nautilus (or Naut).

Just as it is tricky to photograph that effect, in a pearl, these pictures dont do the pieces justice. I really wanted to upload the files full size so they fill the screen. Some of Debbie's work is currently in New York, I could find out where if anyone is interested.

 

[SteveM]

They speak for themselves--and they are certainly not anything else anyone has seen. The certs will come, but they will only concur with what your eyes already tell you. It is not like measuring if some pearls are sea or fresh water.They are clearly a "new" pearl that does not need tests to identify it. It has always been there, just not noticed by Westerners. And I strongly doubt they are blown glass done by secret guilds in deep dark secret places.

The ones I have seen-Steve's and Tom's- clearly to be a new species of pearl natural unlike any other, but all like each other in easily describable ways..

Scientists find new critters everyday. If they are different enough from other species, they get to name them and add them to the taxonomic tree.

Have any of the dissenting labs tried to prove the null hypothesis- that these are not an identified type of pearl? I doubt they have gotten very far.

No one among the experts that have seen our specimens closely (Strack and Scarratt included) has even remotely considered that they are anything but natural pearls.

What we have accomplished with this thread is to ratchet up the relevance factor of Nautilus. Apparently more collectors around the world are getting in on the game, and the labs are receiving a few more requests for certification. So it is grudgingly being admitted that a little research may be in order. That is very good!

I am convinced that top quality Nautilus is easily identified visually, but just as conch and many other species the mediocre and poor specimens will be universally indistinguishable calcareous lumps. Such pearls retain scientific interest only, without collectible value.

Null hypothesis: Very good. The skeptical labs should be able to offer an alternative explanation for the unique appearance of these pearls. They cannot. But that there are undiscovered species at depth is a certainty. So I will herewith re-christen Caitlin's Null hypothesis as the Abominable Mollusk Hypothesis.

I've got a few more specimens coming this week (yes another fun weekend with the camera!), including a pearl extracted from the gonad of a Nautilus freshly caught while diving for fish just 10 days ago, along with the shell. Otherwise, we've pretty much come to the end of our acquisition stage, unless something spectacular along the lines of 'The Planets' comes to light.

I'm also excited about finally getting together with Peter Ward in his lab at the University of Washington tomorrow afternoon. Will be interesting to see what he thinks about all of this.

 

[SteveM]

We had not previously shared candling comparison images for our 21.75ct pearl that has been serving in recent months as my avatar.

At the time of receipt I was wary of the likelihood for larger sizes in Nautilus, and took possession of the specimen grudgingly. Subsequently, shell specimens received have demonstrated the superior size of mature Nautilus from Indonesia.

It is an impressively symmetrical pearl (fished in August of 2009 and not a generational heirloom as are others) and extremely translucent. But its chatoyance is independent of the swirl/spiral feature, which appears to be relatively superficial pending microradiography. If a Nautilus pearl, which is likely the case, it is of mixed classification, 5/10 in micro and 8/10 in macro.

 

[GemGeek]

You're killing me. Did you see Peter? How did it go? And love the pearl shots!

 

[SteveM]

You're killing me. Did you see Peter? How did it go? And love the pearl shots!

Dr. Ward appears to enjoy playing the part of co-conspirator in the continuing suspense of this thread, effectively delaying our meeting due to an illness in his family this past week.

To keep things moving forward positively, we dropped off some wines at his lab while taking a stroll on the beautiful UW campus in the bright sunshine yesterday. Another amazing coincidence in all of this is that one of our Spanish wine producers is located adjacent to one of Europe's most well-known digs for Cambrian trilobites, the earliest fossilized animal with exoskeleton and hugely symbolic among paleontologists. The wine label even features a trilobite (the wine's good, too).

Hoping for the anticipated t?te-?-t?te sometime this week.

 

[GemGeek]

You're charming him with wine? Trilobites, even? I'm halfway through his nautilus book - it's really wonderful.

 

[SteveM]

You're charming him with wine? Trilobites, even?

Shameless, I know.

 

[pearlescence]

ah, trilobites, shades of O level geology!

 

[GemGeek]

Actually, I love trilobites. I have a trilobite pendant!

 

[GemGeek]

Shameless, I know.

Yes. Yes it is. But it's a good strategy to spend more time with the master!

 

[Caitlin]

It is all so interconnected. How cosmic!

 

[SteveM]

Received today. A Nautilus fished randomly just two weeks ago by a commercial seafood diver working at night yielded a pearl from its gonad (photos of the pearl and its shell, still smelling of the sea and with fluid in the chambers). Unfortunately, without an objective witness to record the pearl extraction we are left with yet-to-be-determined technology for a definitive match.

The pearl is very attractive, 6.45 carats and 11mm wide by 8mm tall. It conforms to all Nautilus ID characteristics, albeit its swirl or spiral structure is not acute, rather more like four interrelated quarter-spheres (think any plate tectonics are underway in there?!). The chatoyance is beautiful with blue iridescence and more than a hint of swirl. The skin, perhaps partly owing to the pearl's freshness, is silky smooth.

 

[GemGeek]

Looks superb!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

It's like the moon!

I could gaze all night.

 

[pattye]

Magnificent shell, and gorgeous pearl!

 

[SteveM]

Magnificent shell?

Yes, it's amazing, and given minimal handling in perfect shape. I just purchased one of those silver Nautilus gravy boats out of Thailand, and even after choosing the best they had among several in stock the shell is not nearly as well marked. Nice silver work, though!