The Story of my Bahraini Pearls

[Caitlin]

I have been researching "Guinea pearls"

the only ones I can find are these

[SIZE=+2]Pearl Guinea[/SIZE]

Guineas originate in Africa and are excellent foragers. After starting they grow and thrive on bugs (they love ticks), insects and weed seeds. Guineas are also great watchdogs as they call out at the approach of any strangers. Their meat is all dark and highly prized by many restaurants. All of our Pearl Guinea eggs are imported from France and have been bred for excellent growth rate and feed conversion.

[SIZE=+1]Current Prices[/SIZE]


20 Birds @
40 Birds @
80 Birds @
$2.95 ea.
$2.65 ea.
$2.40 ea.

Available March 19 - July 2, Every Other Week

***

Metzer Farms
26000 Old Stage Road
Gonzales, CA 93926
Phone: 800 424-7755 * Fax: (831) 679-2711

 

[Caitlin]

I am on a roll!

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Pearl: A Rescued Guinea Pig[/FONT]​

Ok enough with the jokes. Now for New Guinea

 

[Caitlin]

[quote]

PEARL oyster farming in Milne Bay waters is showing good results, Inland and Aquaculture manager at the National Fisheries Authority Jacob Wani said yesterday.

Mr Wani said: "The environmental condition in Samarai is good" and pearling operations conducted by Coral Sea Mari-culture (PNG) Ltd (CSMS) is "doing well".

"It’s nothing like they’ve ever seen elsewhere and it’s a plus for Papua New Guinea because the hatchery is producing more than enough," Mr Wani said.

CSMC has successfully spawned pearl oysters under hatchery conditions on Samarai Island. Using a total of 60 mature gold lip and black lip pearl oysters (40 females and 20 males), the company produced 100 million fertilised eggs in March last year.

Of these, four million survived to the spat stage or development stage and were settled onto polyethylene fibres and placed out in the lagoonal area around Pearl Island in Samarai.
“Development of the pearl hatchery in Samarai means availability of sufficient oysters for other farms to spring up,” said Mr Wani. “And the environmental condition on Samarai is very conducive. The pristine environment there is second to none in the world.”

Nursery manager, Colin Jarrik said spat placed out at sea are doing exceptionally well and mortality is negligible.

"Their growth rate has been found to be much faster than their siblings reared in the hatchery using artificially cultured life feed (micro algae).

"This is encouraging news for PNG pearl culture industry as most often wild spat collection at potential sites is often limited and unpredictable.

Already interested potential and existing farmers from other parts of PNG are understood to have approached CSMC about the possibility of obtaining spat for culture purposes.

Currently pearling operations are also taking place at Daru and Kavieng at a lower level.
​

[/quote]

Very interesting! The picture above is the link to the source.

 

[Caitlin]

I just had to add this reference as it was our favorite undersung pearl hero, C Denis George that first started cultured pearls on New Guinea.

In 1965, C. Denis George decided to establish a cultured pearl industry in New Guinea and he asked the Australian government for help Until this moment, the Japanese had systematically boycotted all of George's projects, and he was to make similar experiences in New Guinea. In the summer of 1966, he selected a suitable place on Daga Daga Island near Samarai after the administrator of the Territory and two ministries in Canberra had signaled their support. George proceeded to close down his household in Sydney, and prepared to move his family to New Guinea. Two days before his departure, when all his belongings and the whole equipment for the farm had already been in stalled on a ship, the Ministry of Agriculture in formed George that the Administrative Council would probably refuse permission. Nevertheless,

Notice how the Japanese boycotted C Denis George.

 

[Caitlin]

Natural pearls from Papua New Guinea are not easily googled. Papua New Guinea has a well known cultured pearl industry.

So to get natural pearls means of course ripping open a thousand pinctada shells to find one, right?

I dare say Papua New Guinea which is ruled by a very few people does not have laws protecting wild oysters or if they have them, they can't enforce them.

Their trade in natural pearls appears to be a secret except for some Bahraini dealers whose name for the pearls seems to deliberately obscure which Guinea the pearls are from. There is Guinea Africa, there is the Mayalasian half of New Guinea, and there is Papua New Guinea.

This sounds like 3 card monty, er Guinea.

 

[Caitlin]

Here is a nice tidbit from pearls.com

The Trobriand Islands originally had rich banks of Pinctada radiata, which the locals called "lapi shell". They produced small, mainly yellowish pearls, which Russian dealers bought during the 19th century. They sold them in their own country together with their local river pearls. The larger Pinctada species also produced natural pearls. Until today, individual, large pearls are marketed on the world market together with Australian or Pacific pearls.
Natural pearls can also be seen in the shops of the leading jewelers of Port Moresby.

This is indeed interesting. Of course Bahrain would be a major market for natural pearls as it is against the law to sell pearl plated beads in Bahrain. You can get cultured pearls about anywhere else in the Persian Gulf area though. I have seen overpriced dyed freshwaters for sale in UAE and Dubai internet sites. Cultured SSP seem to be big in the gulf region, also.

I don't know if freshwater pearls are acceptable in Bahrain. It seems they should be as they are solid nacre. And if they are acceptable, I doubt the dyed ones would be acceptable, but I am guessing....

 

[GemGeek]

Love the posts, Caitlin. Pearl-Truth Warrior!

 

[Slraep]

So to get natural pearls means of course ripping open a thousand pinctada shells to find one, right?

Yes, that's right. That's the general modus operandi for getting natural pearls. Thanks for bringing that up Caitlin.

And as much as I love natural pearls, I must admit to finding this sort of plundering of endangered marine life to be disturbing. Pollution and plundering seem to be human pastimes you can count on.

In a few areas around the world there still seem to be pockets of wonderfully thriving wild bivalves. To maybe argue that a bit of current plundering in these areas is okay even though our oceans are groaning from abuse, is like, pretty insane. Perhaps if it were controlled harvesting---but that too has a strange way of quickly turning into plundering when big money is involved. Such is man.

Oh natural pearl, why must you be so beautiful.

Slraep

 

[barbie biggs]

Caitlin:
Everyone has a story and yours is quite eloquent. Your history, and your Grandfather's history explain quite a lot about how you got to be who you are. We are fortunate to rub elbows with you daily. Thank you for your honesty and your pursuit of knowledge which encourages, even demands, greater efforts on our parts. I know that I often look up things related to pearls, searching for truth, which a year or two ago, would never have crossed my mind. My education has been enhanced by association with you and your uncompromising ideals.
BTW, you are the perfect choice for Admin. The Head of the Pearl Police. I take my hat off to you.

barbie

Just another lowly beader.
Love your Bahraini Pearls.

 

[Caitlin]

Wow! Thanks Barbie!

When I first started this thread, who would have known I'd stick around like this? When I get interested in something I plunge right into it, right over my head, often as not. Fortunately, there is no bottom to the depths of pearl knowledge, so I am likely to stick with this the rest of my life!

We all really need to acknowledge Slraep as the one with the passion for keeping and maintaining the earth, air and seas in healthy condition. She leads the way; I am just a "Me-Too" person when it comes to taking taking those positions.

I just LOVE it when people who come over here because they developed a passion for pearls and/or collecting them, start poking around in the pearl knowledge, history, and peripheral issues of this forum. And over time we have gathered some real experts who are willing to share all aspects of growing pearls, harvesting the shell for the beads, designing, knotting, and much more.

 

[Kaywal]

Your family history is so interesting Caitlin. One of the many reasons I love this forum. Thanks for posting such valuable information. Oh, and by the way, I bought some thread and some practice beads. I've never beaded before, but yours and other's posts have got me started on that as well--a hobby is born! I have so much to learn-very exciting!

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Kelsey

I am so delighted you are going to try out beading/stringing! Be sure to post about your experience.

Any questions, ask them here-- I mean in a new thead over at the LBC forum.

 

[Monty Hall]

Wow, Caitlin!!!

What a wonderful family history. What became of the model dhow?

I am truly thrilled with having found this forum, and have already learned so much here.

Three cheers for Pearl-Guide!!!
CarolK

 

[La Contessa]

Caitlin,
Wow! I saw your name and looked into the post. I'm so glad I did.
There seems to be a book in there somewhere, have you considered that? I remember reading "Drinkers of the Wind" as a young girl and thought how exciting it would be to travel to those far off lands.
I can only imagine how wonderful your memories are with such an interesting and adventurous family background.
I hope you can return some day and get the "big pearl"...

 

[La Contessa]

BTW - how do you tell that one of the pearls are from Qatari? They all look so similar to me.
Thank you.

 

[Miriam Reed]

Caitlin,
What an interesting family history. Your Grandfather's interest in pearls and knowledge of them undoubtedly set you on the course that has made you such a great source of information to everyone here on the forum. Your background and knowledge makes you valuable to all of us. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Caitlin]

Here is a photo . Look inside the center pearl's hole. The orange color may be from gold in the water. It might have been Z who said that. I'd love it if someone knows why the center one is so different.

 

[pattye]

Interesting, and the whole pearl has a more golden cream color, compared to the outside pearls. Almost like there are layers of that color under the outer layers of nacre. Wonder if a good lab xray would show anything?

 

[Monty Hall]

Here is a photo . Look inside the center pearl's hole. The orange color may be from gold in the water. It might have been Z who said that. I'd love it if someone knows why the center one is so different.

Can pearls absorb pigment or dyes from the cords on which they are strung? Could the orange drill hole have resulted from a saffron-dyed cord that bled after having gotten wet with vinegar or something acidic?

(Long-shot guess....)

CarolK

 

[Monty Hall]

BTW - how do you tell that one of the pearls are from Qatari? They all look so similar to me.
Thank you.

Actually, that's a really good question. When I first read Caitlin's caption, "3rd from right looks Qatari", I thought to myself, "Wow. Sounds like something James Bond would say."

CarolK