Tom Stern's natural pearls

we should have a rule here about your humour, effisk. Or at least a disclaimer...
 
Effisk is coming out of his shell----------and showing his rare sense of humor!

Wish I could see the flame pattern, an amazing and large pearl, hope for more photos, too!
 
SSEF certified this as a marine gastropod, some 73 carats and beautiful. On closeup, it has the turquoise flame pattern. Can you imagine this as a pendant?
OK, so that's a beautiful pearl (in terms of shape, surface and size) needing a bit more favorable lighting to see color and detail (per Pattye). But it's not the same pearl as the subject of 'Close up', 24 carats and 18 mm round per your lab report.

Still waiting!
 
Nautilus

Nautilus

Nautilus it is, with little doubt.

Yes, Effisk, you are right! Some of you might want to post every bit of historical references to such pearls on this thread, for as you know, some have doubted they exist. GIA certified this after the MOST careful consideration.

I have learned that the Natural Pearl business is very secretive, and that it is best not to talk much about such objects. Pearl-guide has been a lot of fun.

Best regards to all,
Tom Stern,MD
 
Does the above mean you are going to clam up?:confused: Please don't go away!
Got the same impression, also hope it's wrong. But it seems clear that this thread has been somewhat of a luxurious incongruity, as talk is cheap ('show me the money') and this forum is more about inclusiveness than exclusiveness. Another highlight albeit much shorter-lived than this thread during my time here at Pearl-Guide was NaturalPearls, until Mr. Mattar discovered that relatively few contributors here own an oil field or a mega IT enterprise.
 
Black Pearls

Black Pearls

Got the same impression, also hope it's wrong. But it seems clear that this thread has been somewhat of a luxurious incongruity, as talk is cheap ('show me the money') and this forum is more about inclusiveness than exclusiveness. Another highlight albeit much shorter-lived than this thread during my time here at Pearl-Guide was NaturalPearls, until Mr. Mattar discovered that relatively few contributors here own an oil field or a mega IT enterprise.


Well, of course it's obvious that my purpose has been to present excitement to pearl lovers. These black ones are about 14-16mm with excellent luster, most likely Pterias formed out near the rim, where the shell is coal black.

Tom
 

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Wow.

Really great.

I can't figure out how the pearls happen.

Where did you find them?


Yoon
 
Hi Dr. Tom,

Glad you are hanging around to tantalize us more! We are insatiable!!!!! Those are completely wonderful, and the blackest natural pearl I have ever seen........the shapes are so beautiful also-------------
 
Almost looks like something they might have found on the Santa Margarita?

Many thanks!
 
Almost looks like something they might have found on the Santa Margarita?

Many thanks!

At the moment I've got about 12 of the Santa Margarita pearls, and all of them are white; but I don't know if they have black ones in the 16,000. According to Strack, there was a strange event in 1740 or so when a huge number of Pterias drifted from the Pacific into Baja; and the galleons went down well before that.

Here are two more pictures of my black ones, a bit closer-up.

Tom
 

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At the moment I've got about 12 of the Santa Margarita pearls, and all of them are white; but I don't know if they have black ones in the 16,000.

A presentation by Scarratt mentions colored pearls from the horde, some dark. I do not know if their preliminary results have been published.

Link to article at GIA

Santa-Margarita-Pearl.jpg
 
Murex Pearl

Murex Pearl

Hi,

This 18mm, 78 grain natural saltwater porcelaneous pearl comes from Murex mollusk. Very rare. In other views has GREAT flame pattern equivalent to best conch phenomena.

Tom Stern,MD
San Francisco. CA
Titan Natural Pearls
 

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Dubai Pearl Forum February 2009

Dubai Pearl Forum February 2009

Hi, All,

At the new Atlantis Hotel on one of Dubai's manmade islands, the Dubai Pearl Exchange will host the first Pearl Forum, two days in late February, 2009. Registration forms can be found by googling Dubai Pearl Exchange.

A number of great speakers will give presentations. I encourage any pearl person to attend.

Best to all,
Tom Stern,MD
 
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