Natural pearls of Bahrain!

[BAS]

Okay, I make a motion that we have a pre or post Ruckus visiting Gulf_pearls and accompanying him on a diving trip. Anyone second the motion?

We do have some divers amongst us -- I'll let them step forward if they like...

 

[Caitlin]

Hi and thanks some more! Yes, you seem to have some fans here. We will love to read any pearl stories- though we love those photos too. The magazine shoot is great- maybe someone can dig up a copy of it.

PG means Persian Gulf in this case though sometimes we call Pearl-Guide.com P-G.

I visited my grandparents in Bahrain in December of 1954- probably long before you were born.(It was spelled Bahrein in English back then.) I doubt I will visit again, but I am so thrilled that Pearl-Guide.com has a pearl friend over there; I hope someone gets to visit you. I remember a huge traditional feast with some members of the Yateem family -and the stories of Bahraini hospitality are legend in my family. But for someone from here to be able to visit a real Gulf Pearl Family is a very generous offer! And, if anyone does visit Bahrain, I hope they take a camera and a video camera for us at home!

Since you are from an old time pearl family, I assume you sell your pearls. Do you sell them to locals? Do you sell directly to the people who make jewelry? Does your family ever make jewelry? Do you sell undrilled pearls or do you sometimes drill them- or is that for the people who buy from you to do?

Is there any way for a foreigner to buy from you? We don't advertise or sell pearls directly through this forum, but it is permitted to find out how a purchase is possible. I know I would like to know and I am sure I am not the only one who wants to know.

Please think of us whenever you go pearl diving and be sure to keep us up to date.

I am sorry you had to sell the big pearl, but at least you got a photo! Does the museum have an online link? Would they let you take some photos for us sometime?

I can't say how thrilled I am to have you posting here. You are the first Persian Gulf pearler most of us have ever heard of - and we regard your knowledge as big a treasure as your pearls!

 

[Isi]

Hi Gulf Pearls
Thank you for sharing your valuable informations, thank you for your pictures !
Maybe you missed my question from last week so I will ask it again :
What is the percentage of black/dark pearls you find in Pinctada Radiata compared to white/clear ones ?
Are the dark ones more valuable, all other parameters being equal ?

 

[GemGeek]

Gulf Pearls, if someone like Caitlin asks for information about buying, it is okay to send her a private message with your contact information so you can email. It's not okay to send unsolicited messages. You have a very good command of written English!

Thanks for sharing all the terrific photos.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Does anyone here dive for pearls by any chance?

I do. I gather at low tide too, no diving gear necessary.

An expedition to the gulf would be terrific. Likewise, I extend an invitation to my haunt although it's somewhat out of the way.

 

[BAS]

I feel a world tour brewing...

 

[lisa c]

Isn't this fabulous?!?! Another connection!

 

[Gulf_pearls]

Hi and thanks some more! Yes, you seem to have some fans here. We will love to read any pearl stories- though we love those photos too. The magazine shoot is great- maybe someone can dig up a copy of it.

PG means Persian Gulf in this case though sometimes we call Pearl-Guide.com P-G.

I visited my grandparents in Bahrain in December of 1954- probably long before you were born.(It was spelled Bahrein in English back then.) I doubt I will visit again, but I am so thrilled that Pearl-Guide.com has a pearl friend over there; I hope someone gets to visit you. I remember a huge traditional feast with some members of the Yateem family -and the stories of Bahraini hospitality are legend in my family. But for someone from here to be able to visit a real Gulf Pearl Family is a very generous offer! And, if anyone does visit Bahrain, I hope they take a camera and a video camera for us at home!

Since you are from an old time pearl family, I assume you sell your pearls. Do you sell them to locals? Do you sell directly to the people who make jewelry? Does your family ever make jewelry? Do you sell undrilled pearls or do you sometimes drill them- or is that for the people who buy from you to do?

Is there any way for a foreigner to buy from you? We don't advertise or sell pearls directly through this forum, but it is permitted to find out how a purchase is possible. I know I would like to know and I am sure I am not the only one who wants to know.

Please think of us whenever you go pearl diving and be sure to keep us up to date.

I am sorry you had to sell the big pearl, but at least you got a photo! Does the museum have an online link? Would they let you take some photos for us sometime?

I can't say how thrilled I am to have you posting here. You are the first Persian Gulf pearler most of us have ever heard of - and we regard your knowledge as big a treasure as your pearls!

Thank you so much glad to hear that, anyone here is very welcome to our country.

I do sell my pearls, i sell them to anyone wants them because its not only one who buys from me, i get different buyers all the time because some like the prices and some don't and some new people hear about my pearls and give higher price for a specific one, mostly i sell them undrilled if someone asks us to make a piece of jewellery we make them also and they can choose a specific pearl from us.

Of course i can manage to ship any pearls to you if you want depends on what you need, usually we collect them within a month or more and make a beautiful batch full of seed pearls and large ones and sell them, not separately or one by one, but many things take considerations in the pearls for the price to go high they're not all the same, some are special and get a high demand for its colour and roundness, so you find someone asks the divers if they heard about a really beautiful pearl that someone found it a few days ago so he could find it and buy it with a high price.

Will sure do keep you in mind, im glad to find such nice people that are glad to read about my profession and hobby in the same time..

I know, i felt guilty selling it.. it was really beautiful.
i don't think there's an online link to the museum but when i get the time going there i might get a few shots for you if possible.

Im very happy that im giving such a thrill and will keep posting since this is what you like to see. But i think there must be other divers here so they must know what i know but in different locations? or do they experience different things? now im curious to know about divers in other locations hehe.

 

[Gulf_pearls]

Hi Gulf Pearls
Thank you for sharing your valuable informations, thank you for your pictures !
Maybe you missed my question from last week so I will ask it again :
What is the percentage of black/dark pearls you find in Pinctada Radiata compared to white/clear ones ?
Are the dark ones more valuable, all other parameters being equal ?

Im very sorry that i missed your post, thank you for asking again.
Black/dark pearls are very rare they don't show up always, and yes they're more valuable.

 

[Gulf_pearls]

Gulf Pearls, if someone like Caitlin asks for information about buying, it is okay to send her a private message with your contact information so you can email. It's not okay to send unsolicited messages. You have a very good command of written English!

Thanks for sharing all the terrific photos.

Thank you for the notice, will do!

 

[Gulf_pearls]

I do. I gather at low tide too, no diving gear necessary.

An expedition to the gulf would be terrific. Likewise, I extend an invitation to my haunt although it's somewhat out of the way.

I googled your location and a beautiful island showed up, is this where you live? seriously? this is like a dream to many people, loved it!

Tell us more about your pearling activity im interested, i do collect at low tide too sometimes. what do you find? show us photos.

Well its never too late, i might go there one day and meet you who knows.

 

[Gulf_pearls]

This is a fresh one, it is too beautiful yet scary, it is stuck to the surface but in the same time about to come off easily, this kind of pearls get a good price on them but if by accident came off, the price will drop down immediately.

 

[Caitlin]

That is an exquisite pearl! What are the measurements? It looks rather large.

Nothing like a pearl stuck to a shell to prove provenance!

 

[MSC]

What a beautiful specimen!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I googled your location and a beautiful island showed up, is this where you live? seriously? this is like a dream to many people, loved it!

Tell us more about your pearling activity im interested, i do collect at low tide too sometimes. what do you find? show us photos.

Well its never too late, i might go there one day and meet you who knows.

The west coast of Vancouver Island is surrounded by many islands, mostly remote. And yes, I live here year round. My target species are Mytilus californianus (California Mussel) and Pododesmus macrochisma (Rock Oyster), but gather rare pearls from exotic species such as cephalopod Octopus dofleni (Pacific Octopus), gastropod Turbo funebralis (Black Turban Snail), veneroida Clinocardium nuttallii (Nuttall's Cockle). We have no pteriods here, which is likely why pearling has been underutilized historically, although harvesting can be very dangerous for long periods of time due to high winds and rough seas.

I have been a contributor at P-G for a few years and have searchable images of pearls, sites and expeditions as well as some information based upon observations and analysis.

You are very kind to offer an opportunity to see your operation, which certainly has me thinking about visiting. Your pearls are outstanding and I enjoy your informal presentation of them. It's a pleasure to see them as they are harvested, not just high graded.

Best wishes to you for continued success.

 

[Gulf_pearls]

The west coast of Vancouver Island is surrounded by many islands, mostly remote. And yes, I live here year round. My target species are Mytilus californianus (California Mussel) and Pododesmus macrochisma (Rock Oyster), but gather rare pearls from exotic species such as cephalopod Octopus dofleni (Pacific Octopus), gastropod Turbo funebralis (Black Turban Snail), veneroida Clinocardium nuttallii (Nuttall's Cockle). We have no pteriods here, which is likely why pearling has been underutilized historically, although harvesting can be very dangerous for long periods of time due to high winds and rough seas.

I have been a contributor at P-G for a few years and have searchable images of pearls, sites and expeditions as well as some information based upon observations and analysis.

You are very kind to offer an opportunity to see your operation, which certainly has me thinking about visiting. Your pearls are outstanding and I enjoy your informal presentation of them. It's a pleasure to see them as they are harvested, not just high graded.

Best wishes to you for continued success.

I took so much time to gather information about what you mentioned, and wonders of nature makes me surprised every time! would you please bare with me a little because some things i didn't understand. i googled the names you mentioned, i understood that snails and different kind of oysters can produce pearls but an octopus too?.. what is "pteriods"? and do pearls from these exotic species have a high price on them or are they priced the way every pearl is priced? can you provide some pictures of the pearls you find there and specifically from what kind of specimen? and what is "high graded"?

Thank you for giving out some rich information, i would really like to learn the differences of pearling around the world also the species that makes them.

You're very welcome whenever you want to come just contact me, we do also gather at low tide too but many divers do that so we try to go deeper because not many goes there and we might find old oysters which might have large pearls rather than small ones. Is this good thinking? i might be wrong.

what might be the best condition in water that increase the rate of finding large pearls or even oysters that makes them, any original information from you guys might actually help because i tried many things, different areas and water conditions and fail to find a fix rate of finding the pearls they're all the same.

Thank you all for your responses.