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Home > Queen Conch Pearls
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QUEEN CONCH PEARLS
by
Manuel Marcial De Gomar
Emerald & Conch Pearl Specialist
It is said that only one in ten to fifteen thousand Queen conchs produces a pearl - this would account for so few people, including jewelers, having ever seen or known of the existence of the pastel pink, naturally occurring Pearl of the Caribbean. So rare is its occurrence that the Conch Pearl is prized by collectors and connoisseurs as the rarest of the rare. Only one Conch Pearl may be found in 10 to 15 thousand conchs. To find a gem Conch Pearl brilliantly surrounded by the lights of its magnificent flame structure, the number of conchs to be found rises to 120 to 150 thousand.
It is fortunate that the acquisition of Conch Pearls is a very infrequent by-product of the conch fishery, highly regulated internationally by the CITES Act. The taste for the succulent white meat of the conch may have to be held in check in the future, as many countries, including the U.S., have closed off conch fishing until stocks replenish, and this trend appears to be ongoing. Therefore, the best time to purchase a Conch Pearl is now, as supplies in the very near future will be even more limited and prices will rise accordingly.
While the various shades of pink are most in demand, colors range from Saturn Gold to Magenta, Lavender and Orange. Conch Pearls are found only in the Queen Conch (Strombus Gigas) from the Spanish Main north to Bermuda. Strombus Gigas, the large pink univalve from Florida, the Caribbean, the West Indies, and the Islands of the Bahamas and Bermuda in the tropical northwestern Atlantic, has guarded its secret well. This writer has been fortunate in bringing together a collection gathered over forty-five years of visiting the seaports and offshore islands of what was once known as the Spanish Main.
There, commercial free-diving for conchs, primarily by Miskito Indian divers, hired onto fishing trawlers for their skills, continues. It has been my privilege to live among the remote island people and admire the expertise developed by them for recovery of conch shells. It is important to note that the conch shell, removed of its sought-after meat, continues to be an important part of many island communities, being used for land fill extension on which stilt thatch roof houses are built. The shape of the conch makes it excellent for diffusing wave energy, and many countries have copied its design for the construction of sea walls and jetties.
Holding a Conch shell to the ear and being able to hear the whispering sound of the Caribbean and the trade wind breezes was a source of fascination for inland tribes of Indians, and they were eager to trade their emeralds and gold for Queen conch shells. Times have changed, however, and this type of commerce garners no results today.
Conch Pearls frequently occur in spherical form, but teardrop and oval shapes are also possible, even triangles, with baroque the most common. The shape of the irritant (sand, shell, coral, etc.), along with the rolling motion of the conchs going in and out of its shell, helps to determine the final form of the Pearl, created by a release of the same calcareous solution that forms the pink lip and the whole of the conch shell. The Pearl thus formed is located between the mantle and the outer shell.
I invite you to take advantage of our extensive selection of loose conch pearls built up over all my years of passionately dealing in these gems and also from our unique finished designs. Our experience and expertise with these remarkable treasures only works to serve your jewelry needs even better and we are here to serve you whether it's finding a loose pearl or creating a unique custom design from scratch and matching it to your desired budget range. I sincerely hope that you may be one of the lucky few who have discovered this ocean treasure and get to enjoy it's beauty for the rest of your life.
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