pearl shell beads?

[boo]

I was wondering if I could get some opinions on a necklace I bought a while back. The person selling it (who I consider reasonably trustworthy) said that it was sold at the closing of a particular well known jewelry store, and described as being "mother of pearl beads cut from the shell of the oyster that produces our Akoya pearls". They are more dull than I would expect of true mother of pearl (although there are some spots that do glow), and they are cream colored with brown striations. They actually kind of remind me of a picture of pearl nuclei that I saw here some time ago, and Jeremy's video made me think of that again. Any thoughts?

(I did restring it, but have kept the original (tarnished) clasp.)

[Caitlin]

Hi Boo

I think I know this one, I agree with you......I have seen other examples of this- American mussel shells from the Mississippi water drainage- any of several large companis that farm for the shell to make beads for akoyas.

We have another example on the forum somewhere. It was in a thread asking what the beads in the photo were.

[jshepherd]

I definitely agree. The necklace is made up of nuclei. It has striations as you can see, so the grade is not one suitable for akoya, although it could be used in Tahitian.

I find it interesting that you use the phrase "Mississippi water drainage", Caitlin. A lot of people assume that the shell actually comes from the Mississippi River proper. This is basically based on a translation error of more than a half century ago. The vast majority of the shell actually comes from the Tennessee River, not the Mississippi.

[Caitlin]

Hi Jeremy

In my usual imprecise way I mean rivers that drain into the Mississippi including the Tennessee. Many of them used to be the sources for pearls and pearl buttons in the 19th century- Remember the story of Billie Button? Wasn't he the Ohio river? (19th/early 20th century)

I thought there was one one other major mussel collecting outfit besides American Pearl Company and US Pearl Co- maybe Japanese, but don't know where it is -was??, but I did know it would be part of that system. (A little check of Strack says export of American shell has dropped off drastically but as late as her publish date as many as 15 kiinds of shell was beng collected from "Minnesota to Alabama" (p.344) ). Maybe this ties in with the news articles I posted about the mussels poachers iiiiiiiin Ohio ans West Va.- It must haave been at least a year.....

Briefly, what is the current state of that story?

[boo]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions, guys! I actually like the necklace a lot - it goes great with off-white and brown. Plus, it's kind of cool to have a "before" necklace to go with my "after"s

I just don't understand why they would end up in a US jewelry store. Wouldn't they be worth more coated with some lovely nacre than drilled and sold as beads? Or since they would qualify as rejects with respect to akoyas, perhaps it would be the akoya farmers dumping their "junk"?

[jshepherd]

Believe it or not there is way too much material in that grade. The first grade is in the high demand, but it is very difficult to create. Only about 10% of the shell is suitable. This is why I have so much interest in American Bio Gem's vapor encapsulation technology. I am in line to try it when it comes to market.

[boo]

Auggh!! Our mussel shells are being harvested (sometimes illegally), sent overseas and then 90% of what is gathered is discarded as waste? So pearl nucleation is the shark fin soup of the pearl world
Yep, freshies are looking better and better all the time...

How far from market is the technology? A post I found from last June had you saying that you were hoping for material from Paul Cross in Oct or Nov (of last year). I presume from what you say above that things have been pushed back?

[Caitlin]

Boo
You got that right. Isn't it a stunning realization? Tons and tons of mussel shells from America are sacrificed each year in the quest for the perfect bead for the akoya market. In order to use more of the shell, bleaching and other processes are used.

It is believed that these processed shells affect the quality of the nacre- that it to say, it just about ruins it, but the PPB's are sold anyway. Sadly, many people will treat these with great care and will be stunned when the nacre comes off like nail polish in a short time. their bargain akoyas are no bargain at all.

I feel like such a lonely voice most of the time when I speak out for getting to know mussels and supporting them in their habitats.

[Valeria101]

I feel like such a lonely voice most of the time when I speak out for getting to know mussels and supporting them in their habitats.

Isn't there any sort of environmental protection / monitoring for wild populations of US pearl mussels?

[Caitlin]

There is the unio listserve which networks many freshwater mussel biologists, students and projects involving mussels. They are especially interested in having those growing mussels in captive situations contributing to the list.

I have also been collecting articles on mussels in their habitats. There is a main one that I put up as a sticky, but most are on a state by state basis. When I find an article on mussel conservation in any state, I post it here. So far we have articles from many states in the Mississipi river dainage system who are actively monitoring their mussels and/or making efforts to maintain and/or increae populations

Mussels are the filtering systems in the rivers in which they occur. they keep algae and other small organisms in check. Lots of mussels means the stream or river isin good shape, but they can live in amazingly bad circumstances also, circumstances that poison the biologist/divers who study them. This is in a thread on the listserve entitled "In Troubled Waters" .

I would love to see people checking out the freshwater mussel populations in their area and posting refernces and articles here.

Most area in the US are now threatened by tiny imported quagga mussels which are taking over any habitat they move into and kill much other biology.

This is a big subject and important in every country, not just the US. And not just to pearlers.

[Satine De La Courcel]

Isn't there any sort of environmental protection / monitoring for wild populations of US pearl mussels?

only some like the giant clam are/used to be on this endangered list or that but as with Elephant Ivory, and Tiger pelts. noone can really do anything about it. However you have to cathc the pocher(s) in the act and hope you get the cuffs on 'em to boot then "the courts" well that is a whole different ball of wax.

Sounds brash this way but unless people are willing to realy care and do somethign about it like volunteer time not just dollars to protect the animals....

Yes its generalized but you all get the Idea... Poching ads all kinds of illegal stuff regarding animals of all kinds land, air and water DOES happen on US Soil as welll elsewhere.. Just think of all the lygers "Created" a few years ago...

Now back to your regularly scheduled pearl topic..

[jshepherd]

There was that poaching incident by a Japanese company that made headlines not too long ago...

The other 90% is not thrown away, actually. It is used as mother of pearl. The factory where I shot video last week had an entire MOP division. They made everything from tiles, to jewelry, to buttons from the scrap.

[Caitlin]

Hi Jeremy

Excellent article.

I noticed this quote just one paragraph above the bottom

In the United States, the industry is primarily based along the Mississippi River drainage, with the largest companies predominantly located in Tennessee.

we're both right on this one.