In this study, we introduce an affordable and accessible method that combines optical microscopy and photogrammetry to reconstruct 3D models of Tahitian pearls. We present a novel device designed for acquiring microscopic images around a sphere using translational displacement stages and outline our method for reconstructing these images. We successfully created 3D models of two individual pearl rings, each representing 6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTahitian pearls, artificially cultivated from the black-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera, are renowned for their unique color and large size, making the pearl industry vital for the French Polynesian economy. Understanding the mechanisms of pearl formation is essential for enabling quality and sustainable production. In this paper, we explore the process of pearl formation by studying pearl rotation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study was to observe the impact of temperature on pearl formation using an integrative approach describing the rotation of the pearls, the rate of nacre deposition, the thickness of the aragonite tablets and the biomineralizing potential of the pearl sac tissue though the expression level of some key genes. Fifty pearl oysters were grafted with magnetized nuclei to allow the rotation of the pearls to be described. Four months later, 32 of these pearl oysters were exposed to four temperatures (22, 26, 30 and 34°C) for 2 weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCultured pearls are human creations formed by inserting a nucleus and a small piece of mantle tissue into a living shelled mollusc, usually a pearl oyster. Although many pearl observations intuitively suggest a possible rotation of the nucleated pearl inside the oyster, no experimental demonstration of such a movement has ever been done. This can be explained by the difficulty of observation of such a phenomenon in the tissues of a living animal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF