Cultured Conch and Melo ?

[Valeria101]

Right. Do you know anything about this?

Here's the source that prompted the post: a report from the Aquatic Resources Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.

LINK: Melo Cultivation for Rare Orange

... unless I am the last on the planet to find out that these pearls can be cultured at all.

Any idea whether these are produced in controlled conditions on any scale already? The availability of production from the Melo experiment is unclear, but the article mentions Conch cultivation in Japan !?

WHAT!?

[Caitlin]

Hi Ana
You are onto something here! I can hardly wait to read more.....

[Ashley]

I know- me too! I am a little surprised that the article is mentioning full on pearls, though- I would think that these concretions would be of the Mabe type...

It really only makes sense that this new culturing technique should make an appearance in the pearliculture world though, the recent leaps and bounds of progress that has been made in culturing even the Abalone Mabe pearl (Eyris, New Zealand) from single-shelled gastropods has surely paved the way for the Melo Melo and the Conch!

[Valeria101]

A recent report on the melo project: LINK from Pearel-AE

[Antoinette Matlins]

The Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA) is focusing the morning session of its annual Tucson Conference (February 2, 2011) on pearls. There is an impressive lineup of speakers: internationally respected gemologist Ken Scarratt, and Elisabeth Strack, author of the most comprehensive book on pearls since the 1908 book by Kunz (Book of The Pearl) will be speaking on the contemporary cultured & natural pearl markets; research gemologist Thomas Hainschwang will present his research findings on "natural" pearls that are not; and Drs. Megan Davis and Hector Acosta Salmón from the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University (HBOI-FAU), the first and only team to ever successfully culture conch pearls, will show pearls from their current production and discuss how they compare to natural conch pearls. This will be an important conference for anyone passionate about pearls because it will cover current pearl production, new treatments, new "imitations," and areas of misrepresentation, and provide one of the first opportunities for natural pearl lovers to see and examine cultured conch pearls first hand. Personally, I'm eager to see the new cultured conch pearls and re-connect with Elisabeth Strack whom I haven't seen for a couple of years! And I hope to see many of you there as well. For more information or to register for the AGA conference, visit www.AccreditedGemologists.org.

[smetzler]

Antoinette,

Thanks for digging up this old thread. In re-reading that 9/01 (fateful date) report on melo-melo culture, what strikes me is how recently the terms melo and conch were used interchangeably.

Attended as a guest in 2010 and it looks like I might want to hitch a ride in 2011 as well. Interestingly, two of your speakers, Scarratt and Hainschwang, are on opposite sides of the Nautilus pearl authentication issue. That would follow well on the Nautilus programming in 2010 but with far greater substance.

By the way, since prior to my first post here I have identified with your husband, whom you describe in your opening chapters as being uniquely drawn to pearls among fine gems…

[pattye]

Antoinette,

Welcome! Looking forward to the event as will many P-G'ers!

[GemGeek]

Almudena needs to join us next time!