[Perle]

Hmm, interesting. I thought that perhaps the "black lip" reference got mixed up somewhere along the line, since it can refer to saccostrea echinata (yum, yum?), found around Queensland, and pinctada margaritifera, which apparently is used (along with pteria penguin) for mabe pearl production in the same area. But, if it doesn't look like pinctada margaritifera, I guess there goes my theory.

Very pretty, whatever they are!

Perle

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Sueki

Beautiful bracelet and pendant…

I do look forward to my wife's reaction, and it is the beauty that counts above all. But it will be extra nice once the source of the labelling confusion is determined.

In recalling my conversation with the shopkeeper (henceforth no longer a jeweller), he did mention that the shell was received recently, and from a different source than his original supply of the Howell pieces, although continuing to procure Howell through the new source.

The plot thickens…

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Perle

Hmm, interesting. I thought that perhaps the "black lip" reference got mixed up somewhere along the line, since it can refer to saccostrea echinata (yum, yum?), found around Queensland, and pinctada margaritifera, which apparently is used (along with pteria penguin) for mabe pearl production in the same area.

Confirmed as Pteria Penguin by David Howell, jeweler. His message to me today:

In regards to the shell we use it is Pteria Penguin. *Our shells are coming out of Indonesian waters. *We manufacture in Bali and buy them from the sea gypsys there. *We also have a large selection of mabes from this shell which I know comes from either Lombok (next island East of Bali) or Nusa Penida, a small island off the SE shore of Bali. *My understanding is that the non mabe shell can come from off Borneo, Madura, Sulawesi, Flores or even Timor. *My guess is that it is probably coming from closer to Bali meaning Lombok or Nusa Penida. *We call this shell Black Lip Oyster because the lips are truly black and we use shell with the transition of black to gold in our jewelry (as you know!)

.
An informative prior thread exists on Pearl-Guide, as we might expect!

It seems someone in the distribution chain reverse-engineered 'black lip' on Google and came up with Saccostrea echinata, resulting in the current entertainment, and our acquisition of a very nice bracelet and pendant.

Congratulations to David Howell for a beautiful line of jewelry!

[Perle]

Ah! Excellent sleuthing, Steve! Nice to know what those lovely pieces are!

Perle

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by smetzler

…to celebrate my relationship with a 'new' oyster, I did leave the store with the silver bracelet and pendant…

In any case Pteria Penguin did represent a new oyster for our pearl/shell collection!

Steve