Record breaking oyster found but no chance of giant pearl
An oyster of record breaking size in the UK has been discovered in a market in Plymouth. The giant shellfish, which has been dubbed ‘Shelly’, measures 7” across and weighs 3lb. It’s currently residing in the local aquarium, where it is on public display and proving to be quite the tourist attraction.
Unfortunately for fashionistas who are loving the current revival of pearl jewellery though, there’s no chance of a giant hidden gem inside the shell, because Shelly is the wrong type of oyster. It’s an especially large example of the edible oyster, the only species that live in the English Channel. Edible oysters do produce ‘pearls’ but they are of no value, those pearls that are used to make jewellery come from different species of oyster.
The valuable pearls used to make pearl earrings, necklaces, bracelets and other jewellery are found in Pteriidae or feathered oysters, which nowadays are farmed on large pearl farms across the world, mainly in China. Pearls are formed inside the shell of an oyster when a grain of sand or other irritant finds its way in and the oyster protects itself by building up layers of a secretion known as nacre to cushion it with a smooth surface. Natural pearls are a lot more highly valued than the cultured variety as they are much rarer and hard to find.
People have been wearing pearls throughout history, it’s tradition for brides to wear pearls and they have constantly featured in the wardrobes of the rich and glamorous for generations. They are a sign of purity and love, and large pearls are a way of publicly displaying wealth and class. The introduction of cultured pearls to the jewellery market has made them more widely available in recent years, and the popular vintage fashion revival along with a number of high profile celebrities publicly displaying their love for pearl sets and other classic jewellery means pearls are as desirable as ever. The most recent celebrity flashing her pearls on the fashion pages is America’s first lady Michelle Obama, who is becoming a star in her own right for her individual style and ‘imaginative’ choice of accessories combining pearls, brooches and waisted belts.