Global Gemology is an NAJA Accredited Gemological Laboratory. All gem and jewelry items have been examined by a Graduate Gemologist & Certified Master Appraiser.
ABOUT THE ITEM
Conch pearls are amongst the rarest gems in the world.
A conch is a medium to large-sized marine gastropod from the Strombidae family, known as the Lobatus Gigas (formerly known as Strombus Gigas), or Queen Conch. Queen Conchs are found off the coast of the Bahamas, Florida Keys, Caribbean Islands and Bermuda where they're harvested for their delicious meat. Popular conch dishes include conch fritters, conch salad and conch chowder. Very rarely, a natural pearl will be found inside a conch shell. These natural conch pearls are produced when an irritant, such as a parasite, enters the mollusk. As a defense mechanism, the conch will coat the irritant with a calcium carbonate, over time producing a porcelain-like pearl. Approximately 1 out of every 10,000 to 15,000 conchs will produce a pearl. Only 1 out of every 100,000 to 150,000 conchs will produce a gem quality conch pearl! Conch pearls can range in color from pink to red, orange, brown and white, sometimes displaying a characteristic known as flame structure that appears as a fire burning on the pearl's surface. This flame-like or silk-like appearance is due to a phenomena known as chatoyancy. It's unusual for a conch pearl to exceed 3mm in diameter. Conch pearls over 10mm are considered exceptionally rare, especially in pink to red hues with visible flame.
This extremely rare natural conch pearl weighs 2.35 carats! It is a wonderful reddish pink color with very subtle flame patterning only visible under magnification. It is oval shape and measures approximately 8.20 x 6.80 x 5.50mm.
PEARL DETAILS
Quantity:
1
Type:
Conch
Mollusk:
Lobatus Gigas (Conch)
Nature:
Natural
Environment:
Saltwater
Size:
8.20 x 6.80 x 5.50mm
Shape:
Oval
Color:
Reddish-Pink, Natural
Luster:
Porcelaneous
Phenomenon:
Chatoyancy (Very Subtle Flame Visible Under Magnification)
