Nautilus pearl

[SteveM]

Shell and blister received today, along with 15 other purported Nautilus pearls resulting from an extensive expedition mounted to find the blister. All from private collections, regarded as lucky talismen for years without a doubt about being Nautilus.

The blister and the shell do go together, the hint of bluish color in the flame convincingly matching the nacreous iridescence where the nacre is exposed on the shell. In fact, in viewing this pearl closely, early conjecture in this thread regarding hybridization holds up. As has been documented, the Nautilus continuously produces both nacreous and non-nacreous shell material. At the juncture of the outer shell and the septa (chamber walls) there is even room for some ambiguity. Could it be that the mollusk simply can't decide what it wants to use in making the pearl (or uses the first available substance)?

The pearl on the right (7mm button, 1.9ct) can clearly be written off as Tridacna. But I think I'll keep it. Transparency allows that amazing flame to be seen practically to its core.

 

[GemGeek]

Oh Steve! Great photos. You must be so excited. What size is the Nautilus on the left?

 

[DrTKStern]

Second blister report from Borneo

Second blister report from Borneo

Shell and blister received today, along with 15 other purported Nautilus pearls resulting from an extensive expedition mounted to find the blister. All from private collections, regarded as lucky talismen for years without a doubt about being Nautilus.

The blister and the shell do go together, the hint of bluish color in the flame convincingly matching the nacreous iridescence where the nacre is exposed on the shell. In fact, in viewing this pearl closely, early conjecture in this thread regarding hybridization holds up. As has been documented, the Nautilus continuously produces both nacreous and non-nacreous shell material. At the juncture of the outer shell and the septa (chamber walls) there is even room for some ambiguity. Could it be that the mollusk simply can't decide what it wants to use in making the pearl (or uses the first available substance)?

The pearl on the right (7mm button, 1.9ct) can clearly be written off as Tridacna. But I think I'll keep it. Transparency allows that amazing flame to be seen practically to its core.

All Nautilus cognoscenti,

Our second possible blister Nautilus we also decided was a shell abnormality, not a true blister that we could send to Ken for reporting. So, the goal has not been reached. Possibly Steve's blister will show incontrovertible evidence of attachment to that particular shell, etc. But I have sent my men back to sea, and asked them to be quick about it; because we want one before Tucson.

With respect to Steve's pearl on the right, which he identifies as Tridacna--I think it might be a white conch. Tridacna normally do not have flames of that width, instead having narrower flames, less brilliant contrasts, and have a feathery type of flame. Those are some beautiful pearls.

Best regards to all,
Datu Tom

 

[pattye]

Just remarkable photos, Steve, gives me goose bumps to look at them! Guess I better start saving for Tucson! I HAVE to see these in person!

I feel it is such an amazing quest that Steve and Tom have been on, so delightful to follow their journey so closely, all more remarkable because they both have taken up "pearls" seriously in the last five years or perhaps even less, and neither have a formal gemological background. BRAVO!

 

[SteveM]

GemGeek: Just measured the Nautilus blister, actually a little bigger than the finder's measurement, 8.9mm x 7.1mm (button). Big enough to wear.

Tom: Sorry to hear about the false alarm and will cross fingers for success by February. In reviewing correspondence I had the chance to save my blister from its fate; the finder EMailed me saying he would 'cat it' for me, but I was distracted and didn't raise a flag. Re conch: Brings us full circle to Kerang Kasturi, or Lamp/Giant Frog Shell, an Indonesian Conch, which is said to be the source of many claimed Nautilus pearls.

Pattye: All of us here at Pearl-Guide get to know our pearls so much better during the painful process of photography. Sharing the results is a big part of the fun.

 

[GemGeek]

Pattye: All of us here at Pearl-Guide get to know our pearls so much better during the painful process of photography. Sharing the results is a big part of the fun.

Sharing photos is the BEST part of the forum. IMHO! Everyone sees what the poster is talking about no matter what part of the world they are in. We might as well be next door to each other. Certainly, you couldn't get more intimate than Steve's photos!

 

[pearlshooter]

I wouldn't call it a painful process to photograph pearls. More a process of discovery.You get to see much more than you would otherwise .
The pearl on the right in the last series of images just wants to suck you in! Don't stare too long or it will have you under its power!!

 

[SteveM]

I wouldn't call it a painful process to photograph pearls. More a process of discovery.You get to see much more than you would otherwise .
The pearl on the right in the last series of images just wants to suck you in! Don't stare too long or it will have you under its power!!

[Should have read: PAINSTAKING process?]

Yes the pearl on the right (assumed to be white conch) is incredible, and will probably make a beautiful ring with precious cut stones. Find one like that in the 10mm range and we can all dive in?up to our eyebrows!

 

[DrTKStern]

Cat it

Cat it

GemGeek: Just measured the Nautilus blister, actually a little bigger than the finder's measurement, 8.9mm x 7.1mm (button). Big enough to wear.

Tom: Sorry to hear about the false alarm and will cross fingers for success by February. In reviewing correspondence I had the chance to save my blister from its fate; the finder EMailed me saying he would 'cat it' for me, but I was distracted and didn't raise a flag. Re conch: Brings us full circle to Kerang Kasturi, or Lamp/Giant Frog Shell, an Indonesian Conch, which is said to be the source of many claimed Nautilus pearls.

Pattye: All of us here at Pearl-Guide get to know our pearls so much better during the painful process of photography. Sharing the results is a big part of the fun.

Cat it? Oh no! #*%&!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reminds me of when my Chinese Indonesian friend and his Mexican wife went car shopping and bought a "tonka." I kept quiet because I had no idea a toy manufacturer had begun production of full-size autos. Finally they picked us up in their new Town Car.

On photography, when the Van Pelts photographed my Nautilus in Hollywood, they spent more than 5 hours getting a single shot. And Yolanda spent hours with our equipment.

Best to all,
Tom

 

[SteveM]

?a "tonka."

A toy by any other name?

On photography, when the Van Pelts photographed my Nautilus in Hollywood, they spent more than 5 hours getting a single shot. And Yolanda spent hours with our equipment.

Must admit not going to such lengths, 5 to 10 shots at most and then just accepting the best my Olympus 10mp can do. Perhaps someday, when a few certified Nautilus Pearls are available, another Hollywood photo shoot can be arranged.

I did more shooting at home last night under small halogens. This is the blister from three sides and its shell, showing the coloration similarities.

 

[GemGeek]

Be still my beating heart --- those are fascinating and soooo beautiful!

 

[DrTKStern]

Detachment

Detachment

A toy by any other name?

Must admit not going to such lengths, 5 to 10 shots at most and then just accepting the best my Olympus 10mp can do. Perhaps someday, when a few certified Nautilus Pearls are available, another Hollywood photo shoot can be arranged.

I did more shooting at home last night under small halogens. This is the blister from three sides and its shell, showing the coloration similarities.

Yes, I see where the shell broke because the blister was unscientifically detached. It reminds me of asking myself frequently when dealing with this culture, "What was he thinking?"

But it gives me hope that another exists! Great! Thanks for your provocative find.

Respectfully,
Datu Tom

 

[GemGeek]

If anyone is going to attend the AGA Conference, send me a PM. I can get non-members a $45.00 discount off the $240.00 conference and dinner-dance fee if you sign up before the end of December and use my name. The award winner honored at the dinner-dance is the legendary Richard Hughes. There will be a lot of VIP gem people at the party to honor him, so you can rub shoulders with the gem elite.
http://accreditedgemologists.org/currevent.php

 

[SteveM]

?the blister was unscientifically detached.

Unceremoniously as well, no doubt. But if he had left it in place this thread's plot would have thinned, not thickened!

 

[hacostas]

Steve, that pearl does not appear to be a blister to me. It may have ended up as something similar to a blister but most of the pearl growth occurred within the mantle of the nautilus. it was a loose pearl until it grew big enough to rupture the pearl sac.
It was good the pearl was growing at the 'bottom' of the shell cavity, otherwise it would have dropped out to the open sea, instead it attached to the shell. I guess this is probably the only region where something like this can happen in a nautilus. Since the mantle moves a bit in and out of the shell, a pearl growing at (or near) the border of the mantle (edge of the shell) cannot get attached too easily.
It's a great specimen. I wonder if nautilus pearls can cultured

 

[SteveM]

Steve, that pearl does not appear to be a blister to me. It may have ended up as something similar to a blister but most of the pearl growth occurred within the mantle of the nautilus. it was a loose pearl until it grew big enough to rupture the pearl sac.
It was good the pearl was growing at the 'bottom' of the shell cavity, otherwise it would have dropped out to the open sea, instead it attached to the shell. I guess this is probably the only region where something like this can happen in a nautilus. Since the mantle moves a bit in and out of the shell, a pearl growing at (or near) the border of the mantle (edge of the shell) cannot get attached too easily.
It's a great specimen. I wonder if nautilus pearls can cultured

H?ctor, thanks for joining us here. Your background and experience should be invaluable as this thread procedes into a more definitive stage. I actually felt uncomfortable calling this specimen a blister given its form, and would be pleased to drop the qualifier.

Is post-sac attachment to the shell a known occurrence in other mollusks?

 

[SteveM]

It was good the pearl was growing at the 'bottom' of the shell cavity, otherwise it would have dropped out to the open sea, instead it attached to the shell.

I'm slowly catching up with the profundity of your observation:

• Location held the pearl within the shell following rupture of the pearl sac, allowing it to become attached and not lost to sea.

(That precise location, at the juncture between shell and septum, also would be the location of simultaneous deposition of nacreous and non-nacreous calcareous shell material, accounting for the unique typicity of the pearl.)

• That it did attach itself to the shell averted subsequent loss during an indefinite period in the yard awaiting processing.

 

[SteveM]

It was a loose pearl until it grew big enough to rupture the pearl sac.

The size of the pearl, at nearly 9mm, indicates that it had been growing in the mollusk for years, requiring that it had accompanied the mollusk during several, if not many, chamber-to-chamber moves.

If a true blister is to be found, it would necessarily be very small and indistinctly formed. Perhaps those shells judged by Tom's finders to be deformed are actual and more representative examples of Nautilus blisters. Were they kept?

So we may be left in this case with the ability of the scientific community to link this pearl and shell via current or future technology.

 

[SteveM]

If a true blister is to be found, it would necessarily be very small and indistinctly formed.

In fact, do I not already possess a NAUTILUS BLISTER??!!

 

[DrTKStern]

Sea Worm

Sea Worm

In fact, do I not already possess a NAUTILUS BLISTER??!!

Hi, Steve,

Yes, all moving forward nicely. I would think of some kind of parasitic worm attaching to the shell causing that raised area. You?

Tom