Pinctada shell found with 85 natural pearls in it

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I would say the opened the oyster forcefully and with a big knife...which displaced the pearls to their odd location.

I respectfully disagree. Byssal cysts are not uncommon. Here are four different examples.

Although the sacs are thicker and singular, they present in the same manner.

[CortezPearls]

Wow! I stand corrected...but with Mussels. I have never seen these pearls in Pteriidae nor heard of anyone else seeing any in the bysuss. Maybe Josh can join us and tell us about his experience with Pinctada margaritifera.

I have extracted "byssus pearls" from within the bysuss itself...but they are never plentiful (as the description) and certainly not shiny nor nacreous.

Great Photos Dave and thank you for sharing them!

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I have never seen these pearls in Pteriidae nor heard of anyone else seeing any in the bysuss.

Perhaps I'm comparing apples to oranges, although mussels are Pteriomorphia. It may be a case of wild v cultured, afterall the intertidal environment is big bad place sometimes as opposed to pampering in water column. I'm always VERY careful when removing mussels. I never pull or bend them, but snip the threads, leaving enough externally to rewire them back in place.

I have extracted "byssus pearls" from within the bysuss itself...but they are never plentiful (as the description) and certainly not shiny nor nacreous.

Those have been my observations for the mostpart, as well. Most are proteinaceous, having concentric layers that are easily pulled appart, with no apparent nuclei. Some are cysts which are fluid filled, resembling the "milk" that is spun into byssal silk. I suspect hernias or prolapsed ducts as the cause. All of these types are very white, with a slight yellow tinge (a color not at all common in the hard pearls). Similar cysts though, yield jet black pearls (among the blackest of any blacks), as two of the images show. I've suspected those to be formed by parasites finding their way into the tissues via the orifice in the gland.

[pearls92]

Thanks Dave and Douglas,

at the end of this thread I think the 26 pearls of Lebanon may be cysts hardened by cooking, but even if they were pearls are even smaller and of smaller number of my pearls and also the shell is very small and without blister pearls.

Despite all this news was published in major newspapers around the world and on hundreds of websites.

The news of my discovery, much more significant, with certification of pearls by CISGEM and the movie of their extraction from the mother shell is only on this forum and some niche portals.

Maybe there are other cases of similar finds of many pearls produced by a single shell genus Pinctada, someone can point them to me?

Gianpiero Piva

gppiva@libero.it

[pearls92]

I want to point out that my article, in Italian and English, on the discovery of pearls has been published in "Argonauta", online magazine by “International Malacology Association” www.amimalakos.com , see link:

http://www.amimalakos.com/argonauta/2011-7-12/pg026.htm


I think the article may provide more detailed information.

Gianpiero Piva

[Caitlin]

Hey! Thanks for that info. I have to actually read it later- I'll get back.

[pearls92]

Dr. Monica Leonardi, of the Natural History Museum of Milan, has focused on the problem of classification of my shell, she says, with certainty, which is a Pinctada margaritifera and not believed to be reliable references to subspecies as "erythrensis" because there are not enough case studies that demonstrate the existence, she told me that the differences in color, size, shape and other, may depend on the marine environment and may characterize the examples of some areas.

Gianpiero Piva

gppiva@libero.it

[pearls92]

I want to point out that a post, on my the discovery of pearls has been published by Adriano Genisi, an Italian gemmologist, GIA graduated see link:

http://genisi.com/blog/en/senza-cate...single-oyster/

Gianpiero

[Caitlin]

Thanks for reporting that! I am glad it is getting some articles!

[pattye]

Congratulations on this useful article being published and getting some recognition.

[CortezPearls]

I Want, please put me in touch with Ana Vasilu.

Maybe I could directly send an email to dr. Checa, the address should be acheca@ugr.es

Unfortunately Granada is far from Milan, you know a lab in Italy that can do the same analysis?

Gianpiero Piva

Sorry but I don't know of any Lab in Italy that specializes in pearls...but you can also contact Stefanos Karampelas at the Gubelin Gem Lab in Switzerland...that will be much closer to you I believe, maybe even just a drive away.

Try this link for information: http://www.gubelingemlab.ch/Contact-Us/Contact-Us.php