[Mikeyy]

Originally Posted by pattye

Hafta say, really love the Dodge pearls, the photos are better than lots we've seen. And the pearls look very lustrous plus good sized too-------------

So they didn't sell enough Dodges and now they are selling their treasures. Sad.

[DrTKStern]

This pearl is the second-rarest type known. It is NOT the pearl I showed earlier, which was a marine gastropod. For fun, I'll let everyone take guesses what marine creature created this GIA certified object.

Tom Stern, MD
Member, Dubai Pearl Exchange

Well, a white conch would be pretty rare; I do see a flame pattern, so that is my guess, likely wrong, though. Certainly amazing in it's roundness and perfection------------

[DrTKStern]

Thanks for taking the effort to play the game. A great guess, knowledge-based. There are tens of thousands of conch pearls, while this is very, very rare. So, thanks, but No Cigar.

Tom

Congratulations Dr. Tom - member Dubai Pearl Exchange. Cool.
I also looooove your avatar.
Cheers,
Blaire

Blaire,

I can't believe you aren't even going to guess-----------Dr. Tom, I gave up cigars a long time ago-----------

Originally Posted by pattye

Blaire,

I can't believe you aren't even going to guess-----------Dr. Tom, I gave up cigars a long time ago-----------

There's something very familiar about it, but I'm so tired that my brain hurts. But you did give me a chuckle about the cigars!

[Heidi]

I think there is someone on this forum who uses that as their avatar. I would swear I was just reading about flame pattern being visible in something other than conch pearls recently but cannot make my mind remember what it was. Please someone, anyone, ??

[DrTKStern]

Originally Posted by pattye

Blaire,

I can't believe you aren't even going to guess-----------Dr. Tom, I gave up cigars a long time ago-----------

That's the funniest thing I've heard all week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A stab in the dark: Turbinella Pyrum, by any chance?

[DrTKStern]

Originally Posted by Valeria101

A stab in the dark: Turbinella Pyrum, by any chance?

Hi, Valeria,

Wow! That was a great guess. Had to get out my Strack book because I'd never heard of it. But no, it is not a Turbinella.

This is an unexpected bonus of the guessing game...putting esoteric pearl conversation into more general circulation. Thanks to you I'll have my men begin to look for such a pearl. Do you know of any existing close-up photographs of Turbinella pearls?

Sincerely,
Tom

[Caitlin]

It looks like a certified nautilus pearl I saw recently.

Is your avatar a hint?

I would like to see the original photo cropped just outside the pearl, then it would post much larger.

Originally Posted by DrTKStern

Do you know of any existing close-up photographs of Turbinella pearls?

No, no pictures. Now, I am not 100% sure the two little pearls I remember were certainly from T. Pyrrum (Chank). Other types of large white shells are used to make mounds of beads and inexpensive bangles... and when someone fishes enough shells for long enough, there's bound to be some pearls laying around and taxonomy isn't a big concern.

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by DrTKStern

Had to get out my Strack book because I'd never heard of it. But no, it is not a Turbinella.

I got out my Strack and checked every index, but among the Turbos I did not find a single Turbinella. Google was great, however. And the animal does appear capable of such a pearl. Effisk's Nautilus pearls do hint at something similar.

The air of suspense around here surrounding this pearl, Effisk's Nautilus pearls, and Dr. Tom's 'close up' pearl is palpable. The tension is becoming nearly unbearable. Who needs Hitchcock? (!!)

Originally Posted by smetzler

Who needs Hitchcock? (!!)

....well... there's some difference: those stories are scarier but don't always get to a 'Y' ending