Pearl Nucleus Manufacturing

[Mikeyy]

Wild stock? Truly?? Since the shell bead nuclei business is so large, and I know it is so crucial to saltwater cultured pearls, why aren't there be people investing in working mussel farms?

Too bad about the safe- I would've been all worked up about that too lol.

Your friend is engaged in a very noble endeavor- it's wonderful to read about someone making such a large difference!!

I don't think to this day anyone has shown it to be viable. Its a slow growing shell which means you need investors willing to wait 10 years for what could in the end be negative results.
BTW I don't know if I made it clear that the days of the hand diggers and dredges have been over for some time. Barring and Diving are the only legal means of harvesting shell I'm aware of. And that is much easier on the shell beds.
And like I said earlier there is enough shell in the U.S. to sustain a healthy annual harvest. Its a matter of politics. It really is.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Mikey
Do you still see many of the big washboards required for larger nuclei (above 4.5bu)? We had found that the bigger the shell the more brittle the structure and more internal defects.

 

[Mikeyy]

Mikey
Do you still see many of the big washboards required for larger nuclei (above 4.5bu)? We had found that the bigger the shell the more brittle the structure and more internal defects.

Greetings George, Long time no see. You don't see as many big washboards for a couple of reasons. One reason is there are less places to harvest shells as there were. Not for lack of shells but because of legislation. So you still have divers working over the same areas they have been working for 20 years. While there are places that have plenty of washboard shell for an annual harvest. And those shells will make you a 6.0 if you need one.
The other problem producing at least some more washboard is the price. Prices were higher when a diver could dive a thousand pounds then they are now when he is lucky to fill a bag.

As far as the big shell being brittle. Well thats the nature of nature. The older you get the more brittle. Seriously though much of that big shell these days comes from Texas and Arkansas for example. That shell has always been big and brittle with a big white butt. They are like fossils. Now if you go over to Ohio you can have a big shell like the Texas shell. Only its better material. And you can produce grade A nuclei in to the very large bu sizes. But Ohio is Closed. The Dakotas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and many other washboard producing states closed to commercial harvest. I think some of these states will reconsider a limited harvest of shells though.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Thanks for the response. We don't have too many customers wanting larger sizes of nuclei but still a few that need up to 5.6bu. I cam remember back in the good ol' days (about 18 years ago) they even had auctions for larger sizes of nuclei because they thought they were scarce. Although gone are the days of $100 nuclei!

 

[Mikeyy]

Thanks for the response. We don't have too many customers wanting larger sizes of nuclei but still a few that need up to 5.6bu. I cam remember back in the good ol' days (about 18 years ago) they even had auctions for larger sizes of nuclei because they thought they were scarce. Although gone are the days of $100 nuclei!

I was just going to say that to you about the $100 nuclei.

 

[Mikeyy]

Man we saw everybody and their brother jump in to the nuclei biz back then. Wild times lol

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Yes I know what you mean. Many people came out of the woodwork and all of a sudden there were more nuclei experts/suppliers than pearl farmers!! It has certainly changed a lot since then but one thing that did surprise me was what some suppliers called good quality nuclei. I mean it was almost shocking at some of the offerings.

 

[Mikeyy]

Yes I know what you mean. Many people came out of the woodwork and all of a sudden there were more nuclei experts/suppliers than pearl farmers!! It has certainly changed a lot since then but one thing that did surprise me was what some suppliers called good quality nuclei. I mean it was almost shocking at some of the offerings.

It makes you wonder what their all doing now. I know some of them went to jail BTW This is Mike Venovich from Divers Direct. Send my regards to your dad.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Thought it was you Mike!! Hope you've been well. Will pass on my regards....thanks.

 

[Mikeyy]

Thought it was you Mike!! Hope you've been well. Will pass on my regards....thanks.

I'm doing well George. I'll probably be down your way soon. Maybe we'll have a cup and talk about the shell game.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Would look forward to it!

 

[Caitlin]

Thanks guys!
I hope you do more of these conversations for us to read too. It is great to have two shell guys on this forum! Please keep us updated on anything your hear or know under this topic.

 

[Ashley]

Hi Mr. Ventouras,

I took a look at your website, and I must say it's very informative! I've been trying to get updated on all the alternative nuclei materials that are currently being used and were experimented with from time to time... needless to say, it's been slow going finding concise details.

Speaking of the larger-sized nuclei required for South Sea cultivation, would it be correct to assume that because the lower-grade 'flaky' shells from TX and adjascent areas are mainly what have been available lately, that bironite will take it's place as the preferred media? If so, would you be able to approximate a percentage of pearls currently produced using bironite vs. washboard material?

Also, I am hoping that you or Mikey knows what the current cost per pound of washboards in the 1st Quality is running? I have been following the thread carefully, as well as reading Strack, but as Caitlin mentioned earlier, she is more of a textbook, and may not be completely current. I understand that the shell started out at $2-3 USD per pound, and her latest estimates were about $13 per lb, but from what I can tell they once reached $100 per shell? I would love to hear more!

 

[Mikeyy]

Hi Mr. Ventouras,

I took a look at your website, and I must say it's very informative! I've been trying to get updated on all the alternative nuclei materials that are currently being used and were experimented with from time to time... needless to say, it's been slow going finding concise details.

Speaking of the larger-sized nuclei required for South Sea cultivation, would it be correct to assume that because the lower-grade 'flaky' shells from TX and adjascent areas are mainly what have been available lately, that bironite will take it's place as the preferred media? If so, would you be able to approximate a percentage of pearls currently produced using bironite vs. washboard material?

Also, I am hoping that you or Mikey knows what the current cost per pound of washboards in the 1st Quality is running? I have been following the thread carefully, as well as reading Strack, but as Caitlin mentioned earlier, she is more of a textbook, and may not be completely current. I understand that the shell started out at $2-3 USD per pound, and her latest estimates were about $13 per lb, but from what I can tell they once reached $100 per shell? I would love to hear more!

Hi Ashley,

I will leave it to George to explain the properties and process behind Bironite. I know of other products that will make fine pearl nuclei IMO. But as long as the shell is available I don't see anyone too anxious to jump ship.
As far as shell prices go. There really isn't one current price for a shell. When I first started digging shell it was $100 a ton. I have seen divers paid $25 per lbs. for washboard shell. There may of been instances of higher prices but $100 a pound sounds a little out there to me. Anything is possible I suppose. The thing is that you can't really buy a first grade shell. You buy a mix. And price depends on the grade of the shell. Pretty much like pearls. I am sure if we had a shell the size George and I are talking about. And it was guaranteed to be first grade material. We might think about paying $100 per Lbs.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Bironite was developed by a company called Biron. Their original business premise was creation of emeralds. They developed an alternative nucleus as they believed the market required it, for the larger sizes initially. We assisted with the processing and polishing and have snce acquired the technology and improved it somewhat.

Bironite was introduced during a time of reliance on wild shell quota (big shells) and farmers who where willing to seed with larger sizes of nuclei....up to 6,2 and 6.3 bu nuclei.

Not many are using Bironite at present as the size requirement and quantity has come down significantly. Bironite is a natural material (not reconstituted as many had thought) which has its characteristics altered slightly to make it more compatible for pearl production.