| Conch pearls are very rare pearls of high beauty. | | | | divers, who look for the Queen Conch for its meat |
| Often pink in color like the shell of the Queen Conch in | | | | and shell. Pearls are so rarely found that it's not |
| which they develop, they display an unusual optical | | | | commercially viable to specifically dive for pearls. |
| effect called flame structure. This adds to their | | | | Thousands of the gastropods may be collected for |
| mystique. The prospects of future generations having | | | | meat and only one or two pearls found, and of these |
| a chance to see these gems in all their glory has been | | | | only one in fifty thousand may be of a size and quality |
| diminishing over the last few years. However, exciting | | | | that can be used in pearl jewelry. So they are rare |
| new developments give us hope that they will continue | | | | indeed! Concern over the diminishing numbers of |
| to delight us and our children with their beauty. What | | | | Strombus Gigas have resulted in restrictions on fishing |
| are conch pearls? Why did they nearly disappear? | | | | and trade. Are these pearls to disappear as the |
| What has changed the situation to such a positive | | | | Queen Conch becomes more and more endangered? |
| outlook? | | | | Compounding the problem is the fact that the pearls |
| What are conch pearls? | | | | loose their color if exposed to sunlight, so beautiful |
| Conch pearls are natural pearls found in the Caribbean | | | | pearls found in the past have often faded and |
| Sea and around Florida. They grow without human | | | | permanently lost their vivid colors, reducing the number |
| intervention in the Queen Conch or Strombus Gigas. | | | | of perfect specimens. |
| What do these pearls look like?The most common | | | | Unexpected development produces great enthusiasm |
| color is pink, but they come in every color of the | | | | among pearl jewelry lovers |
| sunset! Samples of the pearls can be seen ranging | | | | Conch pearls differ in their formation from other pearls |
| from white and very pale pink to dark pink, orange, | | | | so it was thought that producing cultured pearls from |
| yellow, peach, salmon and even gold and brown tones. | | | | the conch was impossible. However, on November 4, |
| Most tend to be quite small, few of them reaching a | | | | 2009 scientists working at the Florida Atlantic |
| size that could be used in making pearl necklaces. | | | | University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute |
| They often have a characteristic flame structure, | | | | announced their success in a new process to |
| which looks somewhat similar to a cat's eye effect. | | | | stimulate pearl production in Strombus Gigas. This is |
| This is caused by the way the light reflects on the | | | | the first big breakthrough in developing a way to |
| unusual formation in the concentric layers of the | | | | culture pearls in the Queen Conch. The new method |
| aragonite crystals and fibrous crystals that make up | | | | has a 100% survival rate for the gastropod. Previously, |
| the upper layer of the pearl. This flame structure can | | | | conch pearls were found at the expense of the life of |
| be graded as silky, velvety, slightly flamed or strongly | | | | the animal. The cultured conch pearls recently |
| flamed. Its appearance will affect the value of the | | | | produced have the beautiful colors and flame structure |
| pearl, with a look reminiscent of wet silk being the most | | | | common to natural conch pearls and the added bonus |
| highly valued. | | | | of desirable shape and size. The Queen Conch will |
| Why are conch pearls so seldom seen? | | | | survive. Pink pearls are here to stay! |
| Conch pearls are found mostly by fishermen and | | | | |