Need help identifying/valuing an unusual pearl please.

[dannysungko]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here! I recently found this intriguing pearl at an antique shop in Indonesia and bought it because of its unique, deformed appearance. The seller mentioned they've had it for about 5 years but didn’t provide any provenance details, and no certificate of authenticity was given upon purchase.

I noticed it feels gritty when I lightly bite into it and it shines under UV light. I’m curious if this might be a natural or cultured pearl, and whether it could be a seawater or freshwater pearl. Additionally, does anyone have an idea of its potential value, considering its size and irregular shape? Any insights or advice on verifying authenticity, type, and estimating value would mean a lot. Thanks in advance!

 

[pearlescence]

It looks to me like several pearls have been glued together. You can see a silvery line in the valleys which are joins which I am guessing is some sort of caulk, filler or glue.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

It looks to me like several pearls have been glued together. You can see a silvery line in the valleys which are joins which I am guessing is some sort of caulk, filler or glue.

I disagree. The geometry clearly demonstrates environmental congenital fusion.

When multiple grafts are placed in a single recipient on an industrial volume and scale, this is bound to happen.

 

[BWeaves]

I was going to say that it looked like it was several pearls glued together, too. But I bow to Lagoon Island Pearls' expertise. Do you think this happens because the pearl grafter tried to insert too many nuclei in too small an area?

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I was going to say that it looked like it was several pearls glued together, too. But I bow to Lagoon Island Pearls' expertise. Do you think this happens because the pearl grafter tried to insert too many nuclei in too small an area?

Yes. It happens. Two or three is not uncommon, but occasionally clusters occur. Grafts in close proximity will grow in to one another while others may irrupt from the mantle and become fused to the shell.

It's not limited to farms, but occurs in nature also.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

It can be noted and much to the credit of the OP, the ultraviolet imagery presents uniformly contiguous prismatic calcite across the entire surface of the object. Glue would not appear in that manner.

 

[pattye]

Danny, thanks for sharing such an unusual pearl. If worn as a pendant, this pearl would make quite the conversation piece.

 

[pearlescence]

Explain the caulking at the seams then

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Explain the caulking at the seams then

It's not caulking. It's bridging, which is modified epithelial behaviour when voided by spaces having acute angles.

When mantles (and pearl sacs) become spaced from the shell (or pearl), they reshape themselves to eliminate any distance between. Mantles and shells must be in direct contact with each other to grow. The process begins at the outermost point of contact then gradually inward to reduce the space, similar to mending broken bones. When you have a tooth pulled, bone replaces the void, finishing with a concave arch shaped surface. Thus converting acute to obtuse angles. It's natural smoothing. The reason being it reduces friction and pressure between hard and soft tissues.

Similar to the area shown in blue in the graphic below. I have also included an image of multiple conjoined pearls in a natural setting.

To counter your assertion, explain the uniform florescence under UV at the seams then.

Calcite fluoresces under LW, MW and SW UV light. Resin does not. Even if they were cut with calcite the refraction would not be identical to the adjacent surfaces and would have distinct fronts at the outer margins. After all, they have different hardness and surface tension due to dissimilar chemical properties.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Danny posted this also (which has not yet been approved):

"Thank you all for your insights and detailed explanations! Based on how it feels like a solid single piece and considering the UV light observations, I lean toward the idea of it being a naturally fused cluster. Its shape somehow reminds me of a cluster of grapes.

"Given this, does anyone have insights on how such a pearl might be valued? It has an irregular but intriguing shape, and I’d love to understand its potential worth, whether as a collector’s item or for its aesthetic appeal. Also, would it be worth getting this pearl certified? If so, any recommendations for reputable places to do so would be appreciated.

"Additionally, do you think this pearl is natural or cultured?

"Thank you very much."

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

"Additionally, do you think this pearl is natural or cultured?

Having not examined it personally, I'm not certain, but it's most likely tissue cultured.

At first they would have had individual sacs. As they grew outward, they competed for the adjacent space. Once the spaces were reduced to a minimum, that part of the sac lost it's vascular viability, hence grafting themselves to the adjacent sac until they became a single sac. The only difference resulting polynuclear vs mononuclear onset.

I have no doubt X-ray views would reveal periostracial margins and surfaces which conformed to the adjacent surfaces.

I tend not to speak to value, but I suspect at the time of harvest they'd be graded as such for resale, whatever that may be. If it were natural, there might be some value added, but that's in the eye of the beholder. Conjunctions are not rare, nor uncommon especially in a cultural setting. In nature, perhaps only slightly more uncommon.

 

[pearlescence]

I have many conjoined pearls, mostly pairs

These are freshwater, natural colours. No caulking

 

[CortezPearls]

Yes. It happens. Two or three is not uncommon, but occasionally clusters occur. Grafts in close proximity will grow in to one another while others may irrupt from the mantle and become fused to the shell.

It's not limited to farms, but occurs in nature also.

I agree. I used to grow similar pearls -but smaller- when I started to learn how to grow pearls. Tried several beads at the same time and some of the pearls would fuse just like this one.
It's a nice baroque pearl...and large!