Galatea's Pearls: Rock your world

[Kevin Canning]

"When an oyster swallows a grain of sand, it feels discomfort. It begins to ease the pain by applying many coats of pearl. It is rather ironic then, that so much beauty can be created out of such discomfort."

This paragraph was written in a love letter jeweller Chi Galatea Huynh penned to his wife many years ago. That small observation, used by Huynh to illustrate the triumph of love over hard times in life, became the starting point for a lifetime of the exploration of beauty.

Full Article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/fa...ock-your-world

[pattye]

Heavy sigh, there are still too many, unfortunately, propagating this myth of a grain of sand in the name of "poetic license." A group of us P-G'ers saw Chi's work in person in Tucson 2008, and I found it remarkable and very attractive. Hopefully at some point he will seriously consider updating this marketing information in favor of the truth. In my eyes it takes away from his credibility.

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Heavy sigh, there are still too many, unfortunately, propagating this myth of a grain of sand in the name of "poetic license."

Amen to that!

[Kevin Canning]

I totally agree but if you read carefully that original paragraph was from letter he wrote to his wife before he got in to the pearl business - or so goes the legend

[pattye]

Also found it shocking as I was reading Secrets of the Gem Trade by Richard W Wise, Copywrite 2006, paperback version, these two separate entries:

"Pearl making is an irritating proposition for the pearl oyster. In nature, the pearl nucleus-a grain of sand or small bit of coral-works its way into the soft mantle tissues of the oyster causing irritation. To combat the discomfort, the oyster secrets nacre." page 141 This, in a section discussing the nucleation process of Tahitian pearls!

Again, page 142-143, "There are two basic types of pearls, natural and cultured. In either case the method of producing the pearl is essentially the same. An irritant in the form of a grain of sand, a piece of coral, or a (sic) implant introduced by man, is placed or finds its way into the soft mantle tissues of the host mollusk."

Just sayin'---------

[Ash]

Heavy sigh, there are still too many, unfortunately, propagating this myth of a grain of sand in the name of "poetic license." A group of us P-G'ers saw Chi's work in person in Tucson 2008, and I found it remarkable and very attractive. Hopefully at some point he will seriously consider updating this marketing information in favor of the truth. In my eyes it takes away from his credibility.

Pattye,

I agree with your feelings on this! Unfortunately, people will believe what they "want" to believe too. Truth or not. Sad to see such beautiful work "marked" by such a "fable".

Cheers

Ash

[jshepherd]

It is, unfortunately, at all levels. People that are supposed to know don't. It gets published over and over again, the latest just a couple of days ago. Google "Pearl Jewelry and the Difficulty of the Manufacturing Process."

[pattye]

Jeremy,

You've proved your point. That whole article is so, so poorly written and there is that grain of sand again. Certainly proves how much the CPAA needs the video from the pearl farm tour last month.

[Ash]

It is, unfortunately, at all levels. People that are supposed to know don't. It gets published over and over again, the latest just a couple of days ago. Google "Pearl Jewelry and the Difficulty of the Manufacturing Process."

Oh dear. Looks like this myth is going to be a hard one to bust!

Cheers
Ash

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Oh dear. Looks like this myth is going to be a hard one to bust!

If not impossible.

Not only is it an urban myth, it's accepted as common knowledge. So much so, it's even legendary.

[lisa c]

Yes, and once you know the truth, it's an irritant to read the silly myth.

What if it persists because some squeamish people think having little critters buried within their beautiful pearls is gross? or marketing people think inserting a tiny chunk of tissue to start a pearl is unromantic? I think that's where you have to look, at marketing the truth in a more positive way.

Like 'Spin', hmmmm - instead of parasite, maybe "a tiny morsel of the mollusk's meal takes a wrong turn, and is misled into the mantle"...or

Instead of "2mm of the donor tissue" use cute terms like 'dab' or 'teardrop' or 'smidgin' of mantle tissue... at this point we need a thesaurus.

Spin, spin, spin. Find a way to take the truth and present it romantically, and the grain of sand will become a thing of the past.

Oh! maybe the 'grain of sand' is hanging on because it's easy for people to relate grain of sand with mega-irritant. Anyone who's gotten grains of sand in the eye or elsewhere can relate to a critter's urgent need to dispense with the source of pain. Well, ultimately, I think it's the romance associated with sand that keeps the myth alive (ie the beach, the moonlight dancing on water, breezes ruffling the surface).

But, How About Those Pearls?! I think they're gorgeous with turquoise! I want the spiral cut one.

[pattye]

Quoting Jewelmer explaining about their golden pearls on their FB page:

"After about two years, matured oysters can now undergo grafting. Grafting is a delicate process carried out by a talented and skillful specialist who inserts a bead nucleus into the gonad of an oyster along with a piece of mantle tissue from a donor oyster."

And this:

"During cultivation, the growth of the tiny orb in the womb of the oyster remains unseen. Though religiously cleaned and checked on by the pearl farmer, for the most part, it is Mother Nature who nurtures the oysters and the pearl. It is she who remains to be most remarkable and outstanding craftswoman known to man."

(Put soap box back in the garage.)

[jshepherd]

Jeremy,

You've proved your point. That whole article is so, so poorly written and there is that grain of sand again. Certainly proves how much the CPAA needs the video from the pearl farm tour last month.

That's one of the better posts, believe it or not. Dig a little deeper into the others and you will learn about oyster covers, large conchs producing South Sea pearls and akoya pearls, South Sea pearls and their interior brightness instead of exterior reflection, age of a pearl in relation to its value, environment creating unproductive behavior, understanding grains when shopping for pearls ... WOW!

[Josh]

Apologies if this question has come up and been answered before, but should Galatea pearls be considered Tahitian? The farmer in Tahiti who was doing them has/is (not sure which now) relocated to Vietnam. What do y'all think?

[jshepherd]

Not anymore ... at least legally.