The facts
What scallop Pearl actually is
The species behind scallop Pearl is non-nacreous pearl from the scallop Nodipecten subnodosus, CaCO₃ (calcite and aragonite) with conchiolin; it forms in the aggregate system.
Purple, maroon, orange and cream from the shell's own pigments; the surface shows a fine cellular or flame structure rather than nacreous lustre is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a refractive index of 1.53–1.68 and a specific gravity of about 2.60–2.85, with none cleavage.
Where scallop Pearl comes from
Commercial material comes from Bahía Magdalena, Baja California Sur, Mexico and Gulf of California, Mexico.
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How scallop Pearl is treated
Untreated in genuine material, and they cannot be cultured on any commercial scale — they turn up by accident in the food fishery, perhaps one in ten thousand scallops. Dyed and imitation non-nacreous pearls are the main fraud risk; colour should be uneven and the flame structure visible under magnification.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What scallop Pearl is confused with
Watch for Conch pearl, Melo pearl, Quahog pearl and Dyed imitations — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.53–1.68 and specific gravity 2.60–2.85 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What scallop Pearl is used for
The trades that buy scallop Pearl are jewellery and mineral collecting. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 3.5–4; cleavage none. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What scallop Pearl costs
Expect roughly 300–5,000 USD per pearl depending on size, colour and flame, depending on quality.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is scallop Pearl treated, and how?
Untreated in genuine material, and they cannot be cultured on any commercial scale — they turn up by accident in the food fishery, perhaps one in ten thousand scallops. Dyed and imitation non-nacreous pearls are the main fraud risk; colour should be uneven and the flame structure visible under magnification.
Where does scallop Pearl come from?
Bahía Magdalena, Baja California Sur, Mexico and Gulf of California, Mexico. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is scallop Pearl hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3.5–4 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does scallop Pearl cost?
Indicatively 300–5,000 USD per pearl depending on size, colour and flame. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is scallop Pearl confused with?
Most often Conch pearl, Melo pearl, Quahog pearl and Dyed imitations. A refractive index of 1.53–1.68 and a specific gravity near 2.60–2.85 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for scallop pearl?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about scallop pearl