CONCH PEARL

GIA Certified 8.94 ct natural light pink conch pearl & diamond halo platinum ring
An absolutely gorgeous, 8.94 ct. soft pink natural conch pearl is featured in this platinum halo ring
Species:  Calcareous Concretion
Pearl Type:  Conch (Natural)
​Mollusk:  Strombus Gigas
​​Mohs Hardness:  5 to 6 out of 10
Color:  Pink to red, orange, brown and white, often with visible flame structure
RI:  1.530 to 1.685
Birefringence:  0.155 (Birefringence blink technique)
SR/DR/AGG:  AGG
Spectrum:  Not diagnostic
Fluorescence:  Variable
SG:  2.86 (+0.03/-0.16)
Routine Treatments:  None
Additional Enhancements:  Polishing, dyeing

Conch Pearl Facts

GIA 2.81 ctw. natural vivid pink conch pearls with gem flame dangling beneath 0.50 ctw trillion cut diamonds bezel set in platinum
Conch pearl and trillion cut diamond earrings in platinum

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.

Conch Pearl Gallery


​All photos courtesy of Scott Papper, GIA GG, AJP, CMA (NAJA)

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