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  1. L

    Why?

    I agree, but only to the extent of unhealthy recipients or it's situation in the environment. You can graft a green apple to a red apple tree and still yield green apples. However, when the tree becomes unhealthy does not mean it defaults to red apples on those branches. Unsightly or inedible...
  2. L

    Why?

    I should append this with an additional comment. It's not exclusive to the point. There is undoubtedly a hormonal connection too.
  3. L

    Why?

    Perhaps. In which case the environmental conditions vary from year to year. Even the direction of the tide varies day to day. Some molluscs spawn seasonally while others all year round. That likely stems from genetic diversity as opposed to individually selecting a mate. If colour in any...
  4. L

    Why?

    Irrelevant? I think not. Octopus are molluscs. All cephalopods have eyes. Pectinidae (scallops) are bivalve molluscs and have eyes. Eyes in molluscs did not spontaneously appear out of nowhere. Cephalopods do not copulate per se. Although not broadly cast into the water column, the male donates...
  5. L

    Why?

    Colour originates from conchiolin which is a bio fluid. Molluscs have growth cycles, roughly nine per year while the other two or three months are hibernation periods. At the end of each lunar cycle there is a period of quiescence. During rest periods these fluids accumulate as opposed to being...
  6. L

    Why?

    Aragonite is pseudo-hexagonal, likewise are bee hives. Mineralizing epithelial cells and bees share adjacent spaces equally to maximize efficiency. Gaming boards and computer maps very often use hexagonal grids to maximize contiguity with adjacent cells. Six pathways as opposed to four using...
  7. L

    Pinctada Maculata (Pipi) Pearls

    Andrea is a dedicated scientist, so I'm sure she's okay with us going off track in her thread. I remember that thread, which seemed odd for a geneticist. For me it's a common sense question. Shells are a biotic structure built to manage strength and permeability in an extreme environment...
  8. L

    Pinctada Maculata (Pipi) Pearls

    In the absence of a scientific section, a scientific discussion may arise or be questioned in other threads nonetheless. For some who don't strictly adhere to the tenets of science, comments may be misconstrued as an affront or ill-informed. Whilst incorrect, mythical or all-or-nothing comments...
  9. L

    Pinctada Maculata (Pipi) Pearls

    That's very intriguing! I could go on forever and a day about genetic diversity. My earliest work was with salmon, but later involved mussels. With the fin fish, we studied the effects of "jacking", which was one thought to be runting. It turned out the fish were not runts, but sexually...
  10. L

    Pinctada Maculata (Pipi) Pearls

    P. maculata were considered a nuisance species. IUCN Red List Status, CMS and CITES status list these as un-evaluated. Overall, the fishery is minor while the economic value is marginal. Given their ability to thrive as intertidal, epifaunal or benthic creatures suggest strong genetic...
  11. L

    So I won an auction and now I have questions!

    An intriguing collection, indeed. For the most part, the pieces are cut from shells. Quite elegantly. The seed pearls are a mystery, but I'd suspect early Biwa.
  12. L

    Lop Nors found!

    She withdrew (booted more likely) in disgrace right around the time I joined. Some of her comments were far fetched, but her science was preposterous on pretty much every level. Too bad too, because she had a fiery reverence and quite the hoard of pearls. Had she channelled that into something...
  13. L

    Found January 2024

    This type of piece has no gem or scientific value. Even as a curiosity, there is no interest. It is an Endangered Species. Cut and/or polished shells from Giant Clam (tridacna gigas) are illegal to trade in North America.
  14. L

    Japanese Akoya Mortality

    Mass mortality of pearl oyster ( Pinctada fucata (Gould)) in Japan in 2019 and 2020 is caused by an unidentified infectious agent Tomomasa Matsuyama 1 , Satoshi Miwa 1 , Tohru Mekata 1...
  15. L

    Lustre and nacre thickness

    Aragonite may or may not pass light, depending on the phase of the growth cycle when it's precipitated. Early in the cycle, bio-fluids tend to be dark and opaque, but become more translucent as the cycle wanes, thus varied. While conchiolin determines color and luster of pearls, translucency...
  16. L

    Ancient Giant pearl (Selling pearl 33klg. 6klg. 9klg.)

    The first image is cut shell. The second image looks like blisters cut away from the shell, hence destroyed and devoid of any value, scientific or otherwise. The certificate from the lab suggests they test soil and water not gemstones. Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) are listed as endangered by...
  17. L

    Candled Natural Pearls

    Again, nice work on your imagery. I have attached two images you'll find helpful. First is a typical bead nucleated cultured pearl. Second, a candled view of a shell bead from an American Washboard Mussel. Your first image suggests a bead of this type is present. In most of the remaining...
  18. L

    Akoya Pearls Harvested on Schedule Bigwell Farm in Xuwen

    Congratulations for a successful harvest.
  19. L

    Valuation Process

    Was that intended as a derisive comment? Do you realize our commentary is for your and other's protection?
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