[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?