Conch Pearls

Conch pearls are among our favorite gemstones at Leigh Maxwell. These little known gems are marvels of nature.

Conch pearls form in the Queen Conch mollusk that lives only in the clean, warm costal waters of the Caribbean. They are usually found by small scale fishermen who dive for conchs for food. Conch pearls have never been commercially cultured or farmed and are a result of a wild, natural process with no human intervention.

Incredibly rare, these natural pearls are found in roughly 1 of every 10,000 Queen Conch shells. Pearls of gem quality are even more rare, only found in 1 of every 100,000 Queen Conch shells.

Unlike the pearls that most people are familiar with, such as Tahitian, South Seas, Akoya or freshwater, conch pearls are not made up of nacre. Nacre is made of thin layers of calcium carbonate and conchiolin which give pearls their unique luster. Conch pearls are also made of calcium carbonate but develop with a fibrous structure rather than in layers. This fibrous structure can result in the pearls having a shimmering effect called “flame”. Flame is prized in conch pearls.

Conch pearls come in a range of colors including white, cream, beige, brown, peach, and pink. They can even be two-tone or have an ombré effect, fading from pink to white. They vary in shape from elongated irregular forms, to ovals and rounds. The pearls are so individual, it is very difficult to create matching pairs. While the most sought after pearls are a saturated, bright pink in a round shape with flame, we love their full color spectrum and celebrate their many unique shapes.

Jennifer’s home away from home is in the Turks and Caicos Island so conch pearls have a special place in her heart and designs. As an avid collector, she considers each pearl carefully. It’s always an exciting day when she returns to the LM workshop in Iowa with a small palm-full of new conch pearls. As the pearls themselves are one of a kind, so are the resulting jewelry pieces made with them. Jennifer has a keen and creative eye for combining color and creates each piece of jewelry to highlight the unique characteristics of the pearls.

Like all pearls, conch pearls are delicate and should be treated with a care. Always put on your conch pearl jewelry after applying cosmetics and perfumes. It is possible for their color to fade with exposure to sunlight or heat. Some consider them “evening pearls” for this reason. When not being worn we recommend storing them in a soft pouch to prevent abrading against other metal and gemstones. Clean your conch pearls with a very soft, dry cloth after wearing them. Never subject your pearls, conch or otherwise, to steam or ultrasonic cleaning.

We love sharing these rare pearls with the world and hope you are as excited about them as we are.