The Basic Methods of Pearl Farming: A Layman's Manual - CTSA

Basic Methods of Pearl FarmingWash pearls after harvesting.Pearls will have a thin mucus coating when harvested, so it is best to keep them in freshwater until theycan be cleaned using a salt bath. Special tumblers can be purchased for this purpose or a cloth bag canbe used. Add approximately twice as much rock salt to the tumbler or bag as the volume of the pearlsto be cleaned. Then add just enough freshwater to make a slushy mixture. Tumble or gently shake thebag for about 5 minutes. Next, rinse in freshwater and dry on a soft cloth. The pearls will be muchmore lustrous after cleaning. This is all the processing necessary for black pearls. Do not risk yourreputation as a producer by attempting other forms of processing designed to cover flaws or poor luster.An important part of grafting and harvesting is keeping thorough records.Keep records throughout the entire production process. Record the number of pearl oysters that weretaken to be seeded, rejected, died and/or rejected the nucleus. The number of second or third grafts thatwere performed and how many pearls were harvested should also be recorded. Tracking the performanceof individual technicians is also a good practice.Page 58