Melo Melo "pearls" come not from an oyster or mollusk, but instead from the Melo Melo marine snail, which is found in the waters of the South China Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
Like Conch pearls the Melo Melo gem is not actually a pearl because it contains no nacre.It is created by a similar process, however, in response to a foreign substance which invades the snail's shell.
Melo Melo pearls are extremely large and generally very round. One of the largest discovered is nearly the size of a golf ball! The pearls colours range from tan to dark brown, with orange being the most desirable colour. Also like the Conch pearl the colour is believed to be subject to fading over time.
Melo Melo pearls are extremely rare. Although researchers are attempting to culture them, none have yet succeeded - so all Melo Melo pearls are natural. Although these cultured pearls have been known and collected in Asia for many years, they have only recently been introduced into the West. |
