The Quest of the Red Pearl

[pernula]

I am sorry for this stupid question , so do natural untreated red pearls exist ?

Thanks to this forum, I have seen pictures of blue, brown, gold, green/peacock green, rich purple, silver/aqua, lavender, pink/peach, white, gray, black pearls . Someday I hope to see (and may be own some) real pearls of all these colors from as many regions as possible . The only color missing so far is red. So I am wondering whether this body color is not possible or extremely rare for some reason . Can we find them in Sea of Cortez pearls? Abalone?

Thanks,
pernula

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Pernula
I just heard about one recently. Was it on this forum? I think it was a brick red and it not a common color. In fact it is very, very, very rare- and the color is not a fire engine red, but more of a red/burnt orange.
I have never even seen a picture of one, though. It is hearsay and maybe a total myth when all is said and done......

 

[Valeria101]

Well, at the time I've wndered about the same, and ended with a few examples of deep reddish purple, dark reddish orange (brick) from North American freshwater mussels or the Conch shell.

Then, a 'red' tahitian pearl was reported, but no substantial news ever appeared following the first stir.

With pearl colors being so subtle and layerd in nature, I wonder if 'stoplight' red - a fairl pure hue - would ever come to be.

Are there any shells that can produce pearls (at least in theory) and have red nacre ? I don't know of any...

 

[Caitlin]

I have heard rumors from someone I trust, but it is proprietry knowledge at the moment. I will say it is an American mussel.

However, the little I know about American mussels is enough to beat a drum for them. Anyone who is interested in exotic natural colors including red, should keep an American mussel-watch in your own state, encourage the health of our mussel-loving pearls and streams.

Got any links to the ones you found?

 

[Valeria101]

Thread about red pearls? Sounds great!

I will post the examples mentioned asap when I get to my other computer at the office.

As much as I remember, the US deep purple/red example was from the same type of mussel you have posted.

 

[jshepherd]

I have heard of one red pearl, from a reliable source as well. He did not claim to find it on some nuclear test range/moving lake in Asia either. It was from his own harvest in Raroia. I was supposed to see it, but I still have not. His word is reliable, but his calendar is not.

This farmer, as I believe Josh knows, gets some very intersting colors every harvest. A lot of golds as well.

 

[Josh]

We get pearls that are strongly pink but a true red I have not seen. Sure would like to though. I have heard that the Raroia farmer does get some nice colors though I have not seen them myself. Real big harvest coming up so if we get anything "red" I'll post a pic for sure.

 

[Josh]

Here's a pic from my website of some pearls from last year. Does anyone have redder?

 

[GemGeek]

Josh, those are soooo beautiful! Great photo, too.

Cheers,
Blaire

 

[xeresana]

Wow. Those pearls are gorgeous! I think natural colored red pearls would be amazing. Those pinks are beautiful, though.

 

[Josh]

Thanks you two. I know, pink isn't red but we're tryin', we're tryin'!

 

[CortezPearls]

Hmmm...the ones we call "reds" are more like "red wine", probably "Sangre de Toro" (a wine from Spain). Hard to obtain these pearls are...

 

[CortezPearls]

But still, maybe the previous pearl has not the color you need...it is so hard to pin-point a name when a true pearl has so many other colors within itself...

 

[Sueki]

Woohoo Douglas,
Fabulous......!!!!

 

[Ashley]

That thar is a drop-dead gorgeous pair o' pearls ya got thar sir!

All kidding aside, I know the saturated fancy colors are very, very rare... is there a percentage from your annual harvest that usually displays such extraordinary coloration? I would assume that red pearls, like red diamonds, are likely some of the most unique gems to be found on our fair planet... which saturated fancy colors are more prevalent?

 

[Valeria101]

Hmmm...the ones we call "reds" are more like "red wine"...

Wow!

So, they're still 'red' if this is the reddest pearls can be or close to that anyway. 'Red' topaz is no more red than that and the description is as accepted as any... fair game, for what a random opinion matters.

Actually, the colors of 'red' topaz and your pearls seem to fit.. also inasmuch as both gems show off play of shades (dichroism for topaz, orient on pearls)

 

[CortezPearls]

We had a "Redder" pearl: big -12mm- and round. Never had a chance to take a photo of it because it sold the very day it was harvested. We had some special guests down here at the harvest and when it came out our guests just went crazy!!! They would not hand it back...so we had to sell it.
A week later more people came...asking for the "Red Pearls". And these -and the True-Blues- are very difficult to obtain. If I had my way I would produce more of these.

But yes, "Pearl Red" is more like the color of Valeria's Topaz... Red, red wine goes to my head... everybody sing now!

 

[pernula]

Thanks Josh and Douglas for posting pictures of those beautiful pearls! They are seductive!

Regards,
pernula

 

[Valeria101]

Douglas, are these two red pearls the same ones that appear deep purple in anther picture of fancy colors you have posted earlier on?

The picture down the link below, I mean:

 

[Josh]

Wow Doug. Were those pearls from Rainbow Lips?
Blood of Bull. Great name too.
True blues could start a thread of their own too.