[Kevin Canning]

This report contains no data on how the pearls were cleaned (for want of a better word).

The pearls were found in a lead box and the cleaning process took 1year.

They had to soak the pearls in salt water for nearly the full year and then the final step is to use electrolysis to remove any remaining lead.

Apparently there was some concern about breakdown of the pearls but the cleaning process was a success.

This was how it was explained to me earlier today.

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Kevin Canning

are you sure? I spoke with Blue water today in some length about the collection and they do indeed have an "appraisal value" for the lot.

Still bouncing around Spain and not reading all the links, but I was referring to the following paragraph currently posted on Blue Water's blogspot. Out of date?

The most exciting find so far is a lead box containing well over 16,000 pearls. Historically, they are known to have come from Indian pearl divers off the Isle of Margarita off the Venezuelan coast. The Gemological Institute of America haves analyzed the pearls and believe they are the most unique collection anywhere in the world. Much more study needs to be done before their value can be determined.

[knotty panda]

No, lead contaminates simply by exposure. Firing ranges with stray bullets in the soil are a huge environmental risk. Remediation of the site is every bit as necessary as radiation contamination. Whole subdivisions have had to be demolished as a result of being built over old firing ranges. To my knowledge, soil washing doesn't effect it. Lead contamination leaches. I'd have to see data on the "after" the pearls were cleaned. Swarovski crystals come with a lead warning. Workers who handle them daily wear contamination protection clothing. So, just a little lead is a dangerous thing.

[Kevin Canning]

The most exciting find so far is a lead box containing well over 16,000 pearls.

Oh ok thats where the confusions came from, I have the pictures and prices from just 300 of these pearls, so obviously not the whole collection.

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Kevin Canning

I have the pictures and prices from just 300 of these pearls…

Would you be able to share anything here?

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by knotty panda

No, lead contaminates simply by exposure. .

Well, 'exposure' is a generic term catching any form of interaction that enables a risk factor to manifest itself.

Lead might induce paranoia in corporate lawyers by now, but I am not sure that the inches of news are directly proportional with the severity of the problem.

There's obviously some real problem there: a colloidal lead solution kills nastily (and so do other heavy metals). Victorian water-pipes are out, but they did not cause an epidemic... Not surprised that workers in a lead crystal factory need awareness and protection - the fabrication process may cause exposure, not the final product. Swarowsky has dealt with legal problems over the lead content of their product,.

Now, I might have written this under the effect of severe lead poisoning myself... there's still some shot left inside after the doc picked the worst out (ouch!).

[knotty panda]

LOL, yup! Gotta watch those shot glasses! Lead leaches and can be inhaled, ingested, or contaiminate by skin exposure. It cannot be diluted to reduce the contamination. If they could reduce lead paint contamination in old buildings with soap and water, they would simply wash the walls. There has to be more to it than just sitting in saltwater for a year (BTW, that jar of saltwater would instantly be contaminated as soon as the pearls hit it) and electrolysis. They were sitting under the water for 400 years. If saltwater removed lead contamination, wouldn't the box and the pearls have been cleansed of the contamination naturally?

[Valeria101]

Can't disagree further, not a specialist after all... (not that experts agree always within mere-mortal time-frames, LOL!)

Only have my own skin to experiment my own safety cues on, and so far, so good.

[julianner]

Has no one but me noticed the name of the galleon these treasures were found it?

The Santa Margarita...

[jerin]

"The Holy Pearl" (how appropriate name), unfortunately it did not help the ship from sinking....

[Satine De La Courcel]

Originally Posted by jerin

"The Holy Pearl" (how appropriate name), unfortunately it did not help the ship from sinking....

In this case since it sank must hve been "Holey pearl". . It's late and it has been a "Punday nite" could not resist.

cheers
Ash

[julianner]

Originally Posted by Satine De La Courcel

In this case since it sank must hve been "Holey pearl". . It's late and it has been a "Punday nite" could not resist.

cheers
Ash

Hmmm... I'm sure it was not holey "pearl" they were saying as the ship went down...

Sorry, starting to go silly on this post. Will now stop.

[jerin]

Ha,ha.... these were good!

[Satine De La Courcel]

Originally Posted by julianner

Hmmm... I'm sure it was not holey "pearl" they were saying as the ship went down...

Sorry, starting to go silly on this post. Will now stop.

LOL.... Silly is good.. It is not as if Thread topics upon occasion have not gone awry on this list ever before..... Oh No Not Us.....