Pearls and Pearl Shells

Fluorescence from Pearls and Shells of Black Lip Oyster, Pinctada Margaritifera, and Its Contribution to the Distinction of Mother Oysters Used in Pearl Culture

Freshwater Fossil Pearls from the Nihewan Basin, Early Early Pleistocene

Fossil blister pearls attached to the shells of an Anodonta mollusk from China, early Early Pleistocene, are reported here for the first time. The pearls were investigated in detail using a variety of methods. Micro-CT scanning of the fossil pearls was carried out to discover the inner structure and the pearl nucleus. Using CTAn software, changes in the gray levels of the biggest pearl, which r...

Stable Isotope and Chemical Composition of Pearls: Biomineralization in Cultured Pearl Oysters in Ago Bay, Japan

The δ18O, δ13C and trace element composition of pearls collected from Ago Bay, Japan, were investigated in order to evaluate biomineralization in the cultured pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata martensii). The oxygen isotopic data suggest that the pearls were produced around 23–24°C, mainly in June to early July, which is consistent with their occurrence in the field. Therefore the pearls were produ...

New developments in cultured pearl production: use of organic and baroque shell nuclei

Cultured pearls can be produced both with and without a nucleus. Marine pearl oysters that produce Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian cultured pearls typically use nuclei for their pearl products. The nucleus material used for these beaded cultured pearls is traditionally from freshwater Mississippi mussels. In recent years, there have been a number of attempts to use alternative pearl and shell mat...

Fluorescence from Pearls to Distinguish Mother Oysters Used in Pearl Culture