Process for producing pearls in abalone and other shell-bearing molluska and nucleus used therewith

A process for nucleating pearls in shell-bearing molluska including abalone, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming an opening in the shell of a host mollusk in a region covering a soft tissue thereof;
• (b) inserting a pearl nucleus through said opening, wherein said pearl nucleus includes a nucleating portion and a disk portion which is substantially larger in diameter than said nucleating portion;
• (c) gluing said disk portion to said shell;
• and
• (d) clamping said disk portion in place until the glue sets by means of a clamp which is configured to fit around a portion of the said shell and which comprises end portions configured to grip the edges of said shell.

A process for nucleating pearls in shell-bearing molluska including abalone, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming an opening in the shell of a host mollusk in a region covering a soft tissue thereof;
• (b) inserting an elongated probe through said opening and passing said probe through an interior cavity of said mollusk between said soft tissue and said shell until a tip of said probe is exposed from said mollusk;
• (c) securing a filament to said exposed tip of said probe, said filament having a pearl nucleus secured thereto, wherein said nucleus is larger than the size of said opening;
• (d) withdrawing said probe and at least part of said filament through said opening thereby pulling said nucleus through said cavity until said nucleus is positioned against said soft tissue adjacent opening;
• and
• (e) securing said pearl nucleus to a portion of said shell adjacent said opening.

A process for nucleating spherical pearls in shell-bearing molluska including abalone, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming an opening in the shell of a host mollusk in a region covering a soft tissue thereof;
• (b) inserting a pearl nucleus through said opening until at least part of said nucleus is securely compressed against said soft tissue;
• (c) allowing said pearl nucleus to remain in said mollusk for a sufficient period of time such said soft tissue in the vicinity of said pearl nucleus forms a cup-like cavity;
• (d) removing said pearl nucleus from said mollusk, thereby exposing said cavity formed in said soft tissue;
• (e) inserting a spherical pearl nucleus into said cavity;
• (f) suturing said soft tissue so as to close said tissue substantially around said spherical nucleus;
• and
• (g) closing said opening in said shell.

A process for nucleating pearls in shell-bearing molluska including abalone, comprising the steps of:

• (a) securing a pearl nucleus to one end of a thin filament;
• (b) securing the other end of said filament to a trailing end of an elongate probe;
• (c) threading said probe and said filament through a piece of graft tissue until said tissue is positioned immediately adjacent said nucleus;
• (d) forming a first opening in the shell of a host mollusk, said first opening having a size exceeding the size of said pearl nucleus;
• (e) forming a second opening in the shell of said mollusk spaced apart from said first opening;
• (f) inserting a leading end of said elongate probe through said first opening into a soft tissue of said mollusk and passing said probe through said soft tissue until said probe leading end emerges from said second opening;
• (g) withdrawing said probe and said filament from said mollusk through said second opening until said nucleus and said tissue graft become lodged within said soft tissue adjacent said second opening;
• and
• (h) severing said nucleus from said filament.

A process for culturing non-nucleated free pearls in shell-bearing molluska including abalone, comprising the steps of:

• (a) loosely threading a thin filament through a piece of tissue graft;
• (b) securing the free ends of said filament to a trailing end of an elongate probe;
• (c) forming a first opening in the shell of a host mollusk in a region covering a soft tissue thereof;
• (d) forming a second opening in said shell of said mollusk spaced apart from said first opening but also overlying said soft tissue;
• (e) inserting a leading end of said probe through said first opening and passing said probe through said soft tissue until said probe leading end emerges from said second opening;
• (f) withdrawing said probe and part of said attached filament from said mollusk through said second opening;
• (g) severing said filament from said probe;
• and
• (h) removing said filament from said mollusk through said second opening by pulling one of the severed ends of said filament, thereby leaving said tissue graft embedded in said soft tissue.

A process for nucleating pearls in shell-bearing molluska including abalone, comprising the steps of:

• (a) charging a hypodermic needle with a solution comprising nacre secretion stimulating material;
• (b) introducing said needle into a soft tissue of a host mollusk;
• (c) injecting said solution into said soft tissue to form a cavity therein, wherein said nacre secretion stimulating material is deposited on a portion of said soft tissue lining said cavity;
• (d) withdrawing said solution from said soft tissue to cause substantial collapse of said cavity;
• (e) charging said hypodermic needle with liquid epoxy resin;
• (f) injecting said liquid epoxy resin into said cavity;
• and
• (g) withdrawing said hypodermic needle from said soft tissue after a time period sufficient to allow said epoxy resin to set within said cavity to form a pearl nucleus therein.

A process for nucleating pearls in shell bearing molluska including abalone, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming an opening in the shell of a host mollusk in a region covering a soft tissue thereof;
• (b) providing a pearl nucleus of a size and shape sufficient to pass through said opening in a first orientation and capable of substantially occluding said opening in a second orientation;
• (c) manually inserting said pearl nucleus through said opening in said first orientation to a position adjacent said soft tissue;
• and
• (d) securing said nucleus in said second orientation against an inner surface of said shell adjacent said opening to substantially occlude said opening.

A process for nucleating pearls in shell-bearing molluska including abalone, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a first opening in the shell of a host mollusk;
• (b) forming a second opening in the shell of said mollusk in a region covering a soft tissue thereof;
• (c) providing a pearl nucleus having a size and shape sufficient to pass through said first opening but not said second opening;
• (d) attaching one end of a filament to said pearl nucleus and the other end of said filament to an elongate probe;
• (e) inserting said probe through said first opening and passing said probe through an interior cavity of said mollusk between said soft tissue and said shell until said probe emerges through said second opening;
• (f) withdrawing said probe and attached filament through said second opening until said nucleus is lodged against the inner shell of said mollusk occluding said second opening;
• (g) securing said nucleus to said shell adjacent said second opening;
• and
• (h) severing said filament from said nucleus.