GLOSSARY
Abalone.—Name given on the California coast and in the United States to the Haliotis.
Ball-Pearl.—Name given to round pearls by pearlers at the inland fisheries of the United States.
Baroque.—A pearly formation of irregular shape.
Base.—A basic price, subject to the square of the pearl's weight.
Baskets.—Brass sieves used in India for separating pearls of different sizes.
Black-Shell.—Pearl oyster shells of which the nacreous lining has a black-edge.
Blister.—A piece of the mother-of-pearl lining of a pearl-oyster shell, raised above the surface like a blister.
Bluebacks.—Shell of a variety of Haliotis.
Blue-Pearls.—Dark, slaty blue-white pearls, principally from the Mexican coast.
Bombay Pearls.—Fine pearls from the Arabian and Red Seas, so named because marketed through that city.
Button Pearls.—Shaped like a dome, high or low, rising from a plane and called "high buttons," "buttons" or "low buttons," accordingly.
Clammer.—One who fishes for mussels by dredging for the shells principally.
Dead Pearls.—Pearls with a chalky or waxy skin having little or no luster.
Dress.—Diving apparatus consisting of a one piece dress from the neck down, corselet, helmet, air-pipes and life-line.
Drop-Pearl.—Ovoid, or obovoid, not necessarily of perfect shape.
Drilled Pearls.—Pearls with one hole for setting on peg, or quite through the centre for stringing. Chinese drill two or three small holes half way between circumference and bottom, for holding-wires.
Egg Pearls.—Ovoid: shaped like an egg.
Flat.—In connection with price quotation means, price per grain regardless of size.
Fresh-Water Pearls.—Pearls taken from inland streams.
Green Ears.—Shell of Haliotis having green mother-of-pearl lining.
Half Pearls.—Round pearls sawed in half.
Helmet.—Diving head-gear.
Lingahs.—Pearl oyster shells from the Arabian Sea and others of similar size and quality.
Madras Pearls.—Fine white pearls from the Ceylon fisheries, so called because marketed principally in that city.
Manul.—Loose or soft sand sea bottom (Ceylon).
Multiple.—Price of pearls subject to the multiple of weight.
Mussel-Egg.—Name given to pearls by Tennesseans.
Nacre.—The substance of which pearls and the lining of pearl-shells consists.
Naked Diving.—Diving without any appliances.
Orient.—As applied to pearls, the luster of the skin.
Oriental Pearls.—Generally, pearls from salt water; specifically, pearls from the Indian Seas.
Ounce Pearls.—Poor grades sold by the ounce.
Paar.—Ceylon name for rock or hard bottom oyster-bed.
Pearler.—One who fishes for mussels for the pearls.
Pear-Shape.—Shaped like a pear; obovoid.
Peeler.—A pearl with an imperfect skin, the removal of which would improve the pearl.
Red-Ears.—Abalone shell with pearly red interior.
Rose-Pearls.—Pink, iridescent, fresh-water baroques.
Seed-Pearls.—Very small round pearls.
Slugs.—Nacreous excrescences from the Unio.
Skin.—As applied to pearls, the outer layer of nacre.
Square.—Method of reckoning the cost of a pearl of any size at a lot price, by the square of price given, with the grain as a unit.
Strawberry-Pearls.—Large, pink, iridescent and lustrous baroques, fairly regular in shape, with the appearance of being thickly sanded under the nacre.
Sweet-Water Pearls.—Pearls from fresh-water.
True-Pearls.—Pearls formed of nacre as distinguished from similar formations which are not nacreous.
Twinned-Pearls.—Pearls enveloped together in one or more layers of nacre.
White-Shell.—Pearl-oyster shells with nacre white to the edge.
Yellow-Shell.—Pearl-oyster shells with yellowish nacre.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PEARLS AND SHELLS FROM THE VARIOUS FISHERIES
Arabian Sea.—Pearls have fine orient, but the color inclines to yellow.
Shells are larger than those of Ceylon but of little value for mother-of-pearl: iridescent, black-edge m. of p.; known as Lingahs.
Aroe.—Pearls usually good orient; many of irregular shape.
Shells are of medium size, black-edge and iridescent.
Auckland.—Pearls white, but not remarkable for luster.
Shells, medium size, black-edge m. of p.
Australia.—Pearls of Australia generally are of good color, but not as lustrous as those of other sections.
Shells usually large and heavy and the nacre is white.
Bandas.—Pearls good.
Shells are small but heavy and good; black to greenish edge nacre.
Ceylon.—Pearls average finest in the world for orient and color.
Shells, small and valueless for m. of p.
Costa Rica.—Pearls good average.
Shells, medium size, greenish yellow edge.
Egyptian (Red Sea).—Pearls good but run yellow.
Shells, medium size and nacre has greenish edge.
Fiji.—Practically the same as the Bandas.
Gambier.—Pearls good, many fancy colors.
Shells, large, fine nacre with very black edge.
Haiti.—Pearls fine, shells good.
Manilla.—(Includes Batjan, Bima, Ceram, Salawatti, Sooloo, etc.) Pearls, good color and orient.
Shells, large, good, yellow edge nacre.
Merguian Archipelago.—Pearls and shells similar to the Manillas.
Mexico and Panama.—Pearls fair; blacks, grays and fancy colors often fine.
Shells, medium size: nacre has greenish edge.
South Sea Islands.—Pearls usually fine.
Shells generally large, heavy and fine black edge m. of p.
Venezuela.—Pearls, good luster and color—many fine baroques.
Shells: small, beautifully iridescent, but valueless.
Pearls.
| Hardness, 3.5-4 | Sp. Gr., 1.59-1.62 |
Composition.
| Carbonate of Lime | 91.72 | ||
| Organic matter | 5.94 | ||
| Water | 2.34 |