Tridacna gigas -- with an attatched blister pearl?

[Aoi_Kaigara]

Hello! I'm new to this forum, so I appreciate your future assistance. I found out yesterday that I have a giant clam shell (Tridacna gigas) with possibly a blister pearl still attached. I bought it off eBay a couple of years ago, and I do not know the clam's origin. I do know, however, that the clam is 30 inches long and weighs over 90 lbs. The questionable blister pearl is 1.5 inches by 1 inch and is still attached to the clam shell, so I cannot weigh it. It has holes in it from where I think water seeped through. I cannot find any resources online that could appraise it for me, or tell me if it has any worth. I cannot send it in to a lab -- it is very big and heavy. Yes, the clam is real.

Thank you for your future help!

~Aoi_Kaigara

Here are some photos:

[CortezPearls]

Hello Aoi, and welcome to our pearl loving forum!
I do hope you will be able to attach photos...use the Attach files under "Go Advanced" when you are posting. Just works better this way.

[Aoi_Kaigara]

Here are more pics! Thank you!

[Aoi_Kaigara]

Hello Aoi, and welcome to our pearl loving forum!
I do hope you will be able to attach photos...use the Attach files under "Go Advanced" when you are posting. Just works better this way.

Thank you for the advice! for some reason, when I first was trying to post, it wouldn't save any pictures I had uploaded. But when I tried to post a reply, it worked! Thank you!

[CortezPearls]

Glad it worked and I'm happy to see your photos. You've got what seems to be a Bonafide "Giant Clam Natural Blister Pearl on the Shell". Species seems to be Tridacna gigas.

The blister is good sized, very baroque and seems to display "pits". Most blisters I have seen from this species are similar.
Sincerely: it will make a great purchase for a "Pearl Collector" or a Natural sciences museum.
Jewelry-wise: I don't see it as happening...but of course: anything is possible!

I'm hoping more of our experts will join in to share their point of view
And again: welcome to our forum.

[Aoi_Kaigara]

Glad it worked and I'm happy to see your photos. You've got what seems to be a Bonafide "Giant Clam Natural Blister Pearl on the Shell". Species seems to be Tridacna gigas.

The blister is good sized, very baroque and seems to display "pits". Most blisters I have seen from this species are similar.
Sincerely: it will make a great purchase for a "Pearl Collector" or a Natural sciences museum.
Jewelry-wise: I don't see it as happening...but of course: anything is possible!

I'm hoping more of our experts will join in to share their point of view
And again: welcome to our forum.

Thank you very much for your kind words. Thank you for the warm welcome and information!
It is truly appreciated.

[Lady_Disdain]

My worry is the lack of provenance. Tridacna gigas is a protected species and harvesting is illegal except under specific conditions.

[KarinK]

Yes, protected and forbidden. And there have been so many of them going around because people thought they were valuable that I don't think there is any real interest even if this one is legal. There is an old thread here from the time when people was writing to PG all the time, thinking they could make a fortune. I'll see if I have time to dig it out later.

- Karin

[Aoi_Kaigara]

My worry is the lack of provenance. Tridacna gigas is a protected species and harvesting is illegal except under specific conditions.

I understand your concern and I assure you that this was taken out before the law came into place in 1985. I would not support anyone who farms pearls or even goes against the law to kill the poor animal just for the shell. I'm sorry to those of you who feel farming pearls is okay, but I feel the opposite. No offense though. Thank you for your concern. I care for any animal and have my own philosophy that I go by, so I read the ebay descriptions and ask questions before I buy, if it comes to this sort of thing. I don't plan on selling, however, I would like more information since not many sites can give me info about ones still attached to the clam shell. Thank you!

[pattye]

Aoi,

Thank you for sharing your photos. At the bottom of the page are other 4 threads about tridacna you might find interesting and helpful.
You seem to be showing us the damaged outside of the shell opposite where the blister has formed. Probably a parasite worked its way through the shell and was then covered, creating the blister.