UK’s biggest oyster won’t give the gift of pearls
The biggest oyster ever found in the UK has been discovered in a market in Plymouth. Narrowly escaping becoming someone’s luxury dinner the giant shellfish, which has been dubbed ‘Shelly’, measures 7” across and weighs 3lb. The oyster has been given a new home 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. Although it’s an exceptionally large specimen, it is a species called the edible oyster, which are native to 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 far more valued than cultured pearls as they are much rarer and hard to find.
People have been wearing pearls throughout history, it’s tradition for brides to wear pearls as well as the rich and glamorous across countless generations. They are a sign of purity and love, as well as suggesting 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 famous for her unique style and ‘imaginative’ choice of accessories combining pearls, brooches and waisted belts.