They’re rare, exotic and a true Caribbean treasure. Pearls produced by the queen conch — a marine mollusk hailed for its beautiful pink shell and in-demand edible meat — are a sought-after gem.
The odds of finding this hidden gemstone are extremely low: about one in 10,000 conchs produce a pearl, and less than 10 per cent of those are considered of gem quality. Conch (pronounced “konk”) pearls are characterized by a rainbow of striking pink colors, swirling, flame-like patterns and porcelain surface. While shades of pink are the most common and preferred colors, they come in a variety of elegant hues, from pale white and cream to golden yellow and chocolate brown.
In Cayman, these pretty treasures are fashioned into exquisite, one-of-a-kind jewelry at Kirk Freeport. This exclusive line is the brainchild of local entrepreneurs Nick Nowak and Jon Hoffman. The partners of HN International have been purchasing conch pearls throughout the Caribbean and parts of Latin America to create handmade jewelry pieces, using platinum and 22-carat gold, with some pieces sporting sparkling accent diamonds.
“The pearls really stand out in jewelry, even the off-color ones, which are more affordable,” says Nowak, a Cayman native who started the venture three years ago and now operates out of Florida and the Cayman Islands. “They’re spectacular offset in platinum and diamonds.”
Though technically not true pearls (they lack the iridescent nacre layer), conch pearls are very rare and expensive gemstones, with prices running at $10,000 per carat or more (unlike other pearls, conch pearls are measured in carats, like diamonds). Commercial methods for culturing conch pearls have had limited success, and since most are not yet refined enough to produce a gemstone quality pearl, conch pearls are all natural gemstones, making them rare and valuable.
“A natural gem coming from Cayman waters is pretty unique,” says Nowak, noting that queen conch is a protected species here.
The queen conch was put on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species’ list of threatened species in 1992, as stocks have been drastically depleted throughout the Caribbean. Harvested as food for centuries, commercial ventures have developed in the last few decades in response to the growing demand for the meat. The shells are also used as curios and tourist souvenirs. Overfishing has led to a major population decline, prompting total or seasonal closure of fisheries and restrictive measures in the Cayman Islands.
Nowak believes these factors have made it even more difficult to find these pearls in the wild. He travels extensively in search of the rare beauties, often to remote places, contacting fishermen, divers, processing houses, boat captains — even bartenders who let fishermen pay their tab with the highly prized pink collateral.
“It’s kind of like a treasure hunt,” says Nowak. “Each pearl is so different and unique, and you never know what you have until you have it in your hand.”
While some of the pearls he collects are fashioned into jewelry, Nowak deals mostly in loose gemstones that can then be crafted into custom designs. Their scarcity, combined with the very low odds of finding close-matching pearls, often mean the pieces fetch steep prices. “Depending on the designers, they are usually high-ticket items,” says Nowak, noting such luxury brands as Harry Winston (Elizabeth Taylor donned a stunning Harry Winston conch pearl earring and necklace set to attract publicity in 1987) and Mikimoto have included conch pearls in some of their exclusive pieces.
“There [are] not enough to make them mainstream. With several hundred thousand conchs, you’d find maybe 10 to 20 pearls. Only a couple thousand (pearls) are pulled out of the water each year, and then one in 100 would be of gem quality, with the right shape, color and flame structure. They are extremely rare, and that’s why they’re usually reserved for very high-end designers.”
Conch pearls are better known in Asia and Europe than in the Caribbean, says Nowak. “There’s not a lot of consumer awareness here, even though they originate here. We’re trying to get people interested in the pearls and promote them to those who want to create custom pieces.”
Kirk Freeport’s in-house designers have crafted unique pieces with these pearls; it’s the only jewelry store in Cayman that carries them. Prices range from $7,000 to around $20,000 and up, depending on the piece. If that price tag is too high, there’s the more affordable option of buying jewelry fashioned from the beautiful conch shell. These can be found in souvenir shops and jewelry stores around the island, including Pure Art Gallery & Gifts.
The queen conch is considered a symbol of strength and endurance, as well as a good luck charm for sailors and travellers. “People love conch,” says Nowak. “It’s a symbol of the islands.”
Source: caymanairwaysmagazine.com