Cause of Several Layers of Missing Nacre in Natural Pearls such as this?

[Bodecia]

The Pearl ring arrived today and the photos in no way do it justice. It is gorgeous. Loads of lustre and looks a pure white but with pink and blue shining through. Really beautiful even with the loss of nacre or hollows. At 10mm it really stands out.

I will try and get some decent photos of it tomorrow after a salt sludge bath and paraffin oil bath. But I have it on now and I love it. In the second lot of photos I uploads it looked dull and dried out. It just isn't that way. One of the best lustres I have seen.

Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 - natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Camelotshadow]

Hi all,

I have more photos finally. It does show even more cracking on the section of missing layer in at least one of the areas where nacre is missing.

Wish I was able to peel the pearl as in Douglas's video. What a great video and what a great site for Cortez pearls. I spent a large part of last nice reading his Blog and once again going over the Cortez pearl site.

You are very generous with information Douglas and it is much appreciated.

If I saw a puppy or kitten or other animal in need I would rescue it and this is the way I feel about this pearl. Not very bright of me but the way I feel. Although these lastest photos really do show that it has suffered severely and it would probably not be possible to save it.

Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 - natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

I was hoping for the final photo after you received it but your chip & the dirt under the nacre in 2nd pic reminds me of my recent chip.

I see the dirt under the nacre like what you said somehow the nacre was interrupted or dirtied inside the oyster.
I know my dirt did not get under it after it was chipped as it just chipped & it was under it without any dirt touching the area after the layer was exposed.

What would cause this?

I like the gas pocket idea too but its possible the dirt did create a seperation in the nacre & with some small trauma it broke away.

I don't think many of us have looked inside out pearls but I know on mine that dark layer was put by the oyster or when it was forming & its not from dirt after it was chipped...

 

[Katbran]

This thread is 6 years old

 

[Camelotshadow]

So sad but it does seem Bodecia is not active anymore. I remember her posting all those pictures of natural pearls in the candling thread.

I was really hoping to see the photos after a salt sludge bath & parrafin wax bath. I was curious how it turned out...

Good thing it was not a 46 page long thread as I hate to get to the end of a long book & find the last page is missing...