Judi McCormick / pearl farms

The definitive book on Pearls, by Elisabeth Strack

The definitive book on Pearls, by Elisabeth Strack

At over 700 pages long, I go to Strack's book whenever I have a question about pearls.

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Pearl Nacre Thickness

Pearl Nacre Thickness

The thicker the nacre of a pearl and the better the quality, the more exquisite the pearl.
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How an Oyster is Implanted with a Nucleus

How an Oyster is Implanted with a Nucleus

I am sharing a video that I took at the Ha Long Pearl Farm in Vietnam of a worker implanting an oyster so it will "grow" a pearl.

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Who Will Wear This Crown?

Who Will Wear This Crown?

This crown was designed by the team at Jewelmer and has some of the most stunning and valuable Golden South Sea Pearls. Why would the Golden South Sea Pearl be the "crowning" glory of this crown?
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What Gives A Pearl Its Color?

What Gives A Pearl Its Color?

Because we are focused on color as an important part of our expression, I thought it would be interesting to discuss how pearls acquire their natural color.
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Mother of Pearl

Mother of Pearl

It is easy to get confused. Because yes, mother of pearl is the same calcium carbonate nacre from which our beautiful pearls are composed. But, what is the difference?
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The Incredible, Gorgeous, Irresistible Sea of Cortez Pearl Story

The Incredible, Gorgeous, Irresistible Sea of Cortez Pearl Story

The Sea of Cortez is between Baja, California and Northwestern Mexico. For over 400 years, it has been known for the quality of colorful, lustrous pearls.

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Why Are Golden South Sea Pearls So Special?

Why Are Golden South Sea Pearls So Special?

South Sea cultured pearls are the largest type of cultured pearls. The Goldens are the rarest of the rare of the South Sea Pearls.

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Pearl Pioneers- Nicholas Paspaley (Picture of Nick and his sister in 1932)

Pearl Pioneers- Nicholas Paspaley (Picture of Nick and his sister in 1932)

It all started out as a wonderful wild adventure for 19 year old Nick Paspaley in the 1930s. 
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Tokki Pearls

Tokki Pearls

Tokki is a Japanese term to describe a protrusion or bump. Occasionally, oysters will produce a pearl with curious shapes. These are the result of an accident during growth. Oysters definitely have a mind of their own.
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How Long Does It Take To Grow A Pearl?

How Long Does It Take To Grow A Pearl?

There isn't a simple answer to this question. There are many factors that determine how long a pearl must grow in a mollusk.
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Pearls as a Sustainable Gem

Pearls as a Sustainable Gem


This is a big topic and I may split it into a couple of blogs. There are so many facets to sustainability.
Sustainability is acting to avoid  the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. Oysters are naturally a great source to maintain the marine biodiversity because they are filter feeders. 

 

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