Scallop Pearls

Hi! First time here… my husband is a commercial fisherman in the Bay of Fundy and has been collecting salt water scallop pearls for years. Can anyone tell me if there’s any value here? I do know it depends mostly on luster but I guess I’m just looking for any information I can find. I currently make stud earrings from them and sell at a local tourist shop but I save the really nice ones.

You might consider reaching out to Hannah from Wild Ocean Pearls. She is the only person I know of who specializes in Canadian pearls. She has a collection of Canadian Deep Sea Scallop and Blue Mussel pearls on her site.

Thank you! I actually have been in contact with her and she was very helpful but I’m still pursuing additional information

JenessaLayne said:

Hi! First time here… my husband is a commercial fisherman in the Bay of Fundy and has been collecting salt water scallop pearls for years. Can anyone tell me if there’s any value here? I do know it depends mostly on luster but I guess I’m just looking for any information I can find. I currently make stud earrings from them and sell at a local tourist shop but I save the really nice ones.

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Scallop pearls are the most common pearl on the east coast, probably all of Canada. The scallop industry on the whole is huge, hence the occurrence of these is considered common. They differ slightly from highly nacreous pearls, instead highly foliated pearls. Some may call that non-nacreous. This difference is a great thing in other ways. Scallop pearls are undeniably natural. They are big and they are round (speaking loosely). Even when drilled. clawed or bezel-ed, they are identifiable. That means they almost never need lab certification, thus costs are kept down while provenance and confidence remain high.

We don't normally discuss value here because of it's subjectivity. You're selling pieces. Your valuations are likely well pointed. My next advice would be to collect the premium pieces, you do that. They'd need to be pretty stellar to fetch the big bucks, but there's some smiles between you and a buyer.

Scallop pearls are among my favorites, thanks for sharing yours.

And of course Dave LeBlanc!
- lagoonislandpearls.ca