Something for Nacre Nerds ...

[CathyKeshi]

Thanks for the fascinating link,, Douglas !

 

[BWeaves]

Wow. It looks like a pearl within a pearl.

Since the "inside" nacre looks like a round cultured pearl complete with drill holes, was it a reject that they used to reseed the oyster and ended up with a baroque?

 

[pattye]

Thanks Douglas! So interesting with all the diagrams!

 

[jmd]

OK, I'm willing to respond to nacre nerd and seems a perfect chance to ask my nacre question. I've recently started using an electric reamer to enlarge the holes on some freshwater pearls. FWP' s are frequently stated to be solid nacre, yet when reaming there is a definite pocket of empty. I assumed this must be where the mantle tissue resided and was absorbed, but I'm visualizing it to look much like the Tahitian, with thick walls around a somewhat empty or at least much softer center. How big is the mantle and is it really correct to state FWP' s are solid nacre? How should the Tahitian look different from the FWP in terms of nuclei. Am I incorrect in thinking Tahitians are bead nucleated - I must be - and why are my FWP' s not solid? I willingly accept being in nacre nerd ranks after this question.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

The article was fascinating!

 

[Red]

Wow. It looks like a pearl within a pearl.

It's two pearls within a pearl!

 

[pattye]

jmd, That's really interesting that you've found voids in your freshwater pearls. All different sizes? I've reamed (with electric) quite a few pearls I thought were all nacre fw, and others that were bead nuked ripples, but never perceived there might be a hollow spot. Is it possible you had some freshwater keshi? Yes, Tahitians will have a round mother of pearl bead inside. (Unless they're keshi.) Or souffle? Could you put up a photo of the whole pearls with their measurements? Very curious!!

Many times I've wished I had a way to saw a pearl in half. Resorted to the hammer. Not the best option.

 

[Katbran]

Really interesting article ! Thanks for that link !

 

[BlackPearlDudeDC]

I am currently obsessed with Rikitea Tahitian Pearls (aka "Gambys" in my inner circle)...I fear it is a fantastic sickness I have. Nacre Nerd that is for others to decide I guess, but nerd alone is probably accurate (or gem nerd, computer nerd, tech nerd…nerd nerd etc)

 

[jmd]

Pattye, first let me clarify what I was doing probably goes beyond the typical definition of reaming. I was taking a regular drill hole and enlarging it to 2-3 mm for use on leather. I was using my reamer like a drill to create a side to side channel through the pearl and it was during this fairly radical reaming that I noticed I would hit a spot from each side where the reamer tip would hit a hollow area. I did more than a dozen pearls, 10mm near round and all felt the same. I did not notice it on keishi, those felt solid. If not for the nacre post I probably would have just accepted it as the space where the mantle tissue used to be. Beyond feeling the lack of resistance I could see the margin edge of the nacre deep in the drill hole. I will get out the reamer today and do some "exploratory surgery" and open up a bigger hole so I can insert a piece of wire to measure the nacre thickness. With luck, some pictures as well. Such fun, feels like a science project!!

 

[BWeaves]

jmd: I recently restrung some baroque akoyas, and it was my first time restringing non-round pearls. My needle would go through the pearl and hit an empty area on the other side. I felt like I was in a hollow bead and couldn't find the exit hole. I found it quite disturbing, but I think may have been hitting this "empty area" like in the Tahitian example.

 

[pattye]

jmd, that's so helpful of you to do some science experiments. I''ve done that type of reaming also, enlarging the holes for leather. It seems like the more baroque the pearl, the more likely something "odd" could be encountered during stringing. Were your pearls all off the same strand? That will be wonderful if you take photos. Thank you!

 

[pattye]

BWeaves, I've had that experience also. Recently restrung some large baroque silver blue South Sea. As I removed them from the strand I stuck a straight pin through the hole. Some pearls were surprisingly light weight. Did not want to risk losing the channel if there were rolling nucleus. I sure was glad I'd done that. I'll add a photo here later today.

Photo taken outside in the shade. Sizes center approx 16 by 17mm to smallest 11.5 by 13mm. Spaced with Kamoka keshi.



Photo taken in light box.

 

[JerseyPearl]

These are really gorgeous...love the blues with the Tahitian keshis.

 

[Katbran]

Lovely necklace ..those little Keshi are so pretty !

 

[Tucs]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

 

[bluidragon]

I always wanted to see the inside of a cultured pearl. Fifty percent nacre is high. Duh! Was it dyed?

 

[jshepherd]

I always wanted to see the inside of a cultured pearl. Fifty percent nacre is high. Duh! Was it dyed?

It's more than high, it's like one in a million (or millions). No, it was not dyed. It's a Tahitian.

 

[kelluvpearls]

Love the necklace pattye!

 

[JerseyPearl]

Jeremy any guess as to how long the pearl was in the oyster?