Gemsity

Gemsity

Gemstones and Nothing Else

  • Gemsity
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Gemstones
  • Birthstones
  • Gemology
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Gemology / How The South Sea Pearls Are Formed

November 22, 2017 by admin

How The South Sea Pearls Are Formed

south sea autsralia Few places on earth remain as untouched as Australia’s Northwest.  This coastline is one of the last pristine places remaining on our planet between Broome and Darwin. The coast is as wild today a sit was when Europeans settled the continent over 200 years ago.  Thousands of miles of uninhabited wilderness where the ocean teams with life.

south sea pearl oysterWe know and others whose secrets are hidden in the deep like this creature Australia’s South Sea pearl oyster also known as the silver lipped oyster.  Although it’s not much to look at on the outside on the inside. It has the ability to produce one of the most valuable gemstone known to mankind. Any mollusk that produces a shell can produce a pearl that includes opal one marine snails clams mussels and oysters.

 

The South Sea pearl oyster that lives here produces the cream of the crop. It’s a solitary creature that can grow to around one foot living for up to forty years. As a result the pearls it creates are the largest most lustrous along in recent years. A single Australian South Sea pearl was sold for over 1.5 million dollars.

south sea pearl

The notion that a pearl always forms when a grain of sand enters the creature is a myth. Another possibility is that some tiny organism invades the creature and disrupts the cells in the mantle.  Then something miraculous happens, the oyster begins to secrete a smooth crystalline substance known as “nacre” or mother of pearl. It is made of the same material that forms the inside of the shell.

mother of pearl
mother of pearl

This combination of calcium carbonate and protein is both lighter and stronger than concrete. It takes several years for thousands of layers of nacre to build up and create a smooth iridescent gem but it’s a rare event. A pearl of value is found in less than 1 in 10,000 wild pearl oysters

Filed Under: Gemology, Gemstones Tagged With: australia, gemstones, mother of pearl, Pearl

Search

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit

Categories

  • Birthstones
  • Gemology
  • Gemstones

Tags

alexandrite amethyst apatite Astrology australia Birthstone Birthstones blue diamond Burma Chakra Corundum crystal crystal for grief diamond diamond cut diamond engagement rings diamond shape Emerald engagement rings garnet gem gems Gemstone gemstone meaning gemstones gomed stone jewelry lapis lazuli lapis lazuli meaning Leadership metals Moonstone Opal Pearl peridot Red Ring Ruby Sapphire scapolite scapolite gemstone scapolite meaning Spinel Stone treatment

Featured Posts

21 Alluring Black Gemstones For Jewelry

Yellow Sapphire Astrological benefits

Astrological benefits of Yellow Sapphire

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us

© Gemsity, All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy