[jshepherd]

I just came across this on Youtube. It is worth watching.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ztu5056K1kM

[Mervione]

Nice video. Zhuji doesn´t look as I imagined, it´s really pretty.

Is it true that an "artificially cultivated mollusk can produce between 30 to 40 pearls"? I think I read around 20 somewhere else.

[Kevin Canning]

Is it true that an "artificially cultivated mollusk can produce between 30 to 40 pearls"? I think I read around 20 somewhere else.

Its true and pretty common, I've seen shells just packed with pearls. I have some good shots from Zhuji I'll try and dig up.

[Kevin Canning]

This half shell clearly shows 13 pearls, so as you can see 30-40 is very average.

[jshepherd]

Currently it is 24 to 32 for the first graft (12 to 16 on either side of the valve). The shells can be returned to the water to grow regenerated "keshi" and petal pearls as well as beaded pearls.

[pattye]

Thanks much for the info, Kevin and Jeremy. Excellent video, and photo, always fascinating when about our favorite subject, Pearls!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[pearlescence]

What I am surprised at is that the pearls in one shell are different colours...I thought that at least one mollusc would produce only one coloured pearl.

[jerin]

How many mantle tissues would be placed in a shell to get higher quality and larger size? I think there should be only 5-10 or are these too many?