12-01-2007, 06:04 PM
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 | Museum Pearl Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern Arizona
Posts: 3,261
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In a rather disjointed review of the recent pearl conference in Abu Dabai near the end, was the following quote. I just found it interesting and wondered how correct it is. Gulf News. Com Daniele Naveau, Managing Director of the Robert Wan Tahiti Jewellery: Quote: The controversy over natural versus cultured pearls, and the layman's inability to distinguish between them is what motivates Naveau to pursue a standardisation system in which pearls would be graded, certified and valuated.
Genetic modifications
"The challenge with that is that you have China, which is able to produce thousands of pearls at such a fast rate. It usually takes us years to harvest our pearls whereas in China they have somehow been able to make as much 70 pearls from one oyster.
"They have clearly genetically modified the oysters to be able to change the colours and shapes of the pearls as well. And there is no international framework to guide them so they can really keep on doing what they want to do and that is hurting the industry and the culture of pearls," Naveau said. |
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Caitlin  potamilus purpuratus American Pearl Mussel Where can I get a pearl from this mussel? |