Magnetic cultured pearls, articles of manufacture made therefrom, and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A magnetic cultured pearl comprises a magnetic core member around which pearl nacre material has been permitted to develop as a result of implantation of the magnetic core member within a host organism. The magnetic cultured pearls can be used to manufacture pearl necklaces or pearl bracelets without the need to string the cultured pearls upon conventional strings. A method of manufacturing the magnetic cultured pearls is also disclosed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to cultured pearls, and more particularly to new and improved magnetic cultured pearls, articles of manufacture made therefrom, and a method of manufacturing the same.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]As is known, the pearl is the only gemstone that is manufactured as a result of being grown inside a living organism. In accordance with the natural process by means of which pearls are developed, pearls are formed, for example, within oysters, when a foreign object or entity, such as, for example, a parasite, invades the shell of the oyster, enters the soft mantle tissue, and picks up or gathers epithelial cells. This is an irritating process to the oyster, and in response to this irritation, the epithelial cells are formed into a sac, accordingly known as a pearl sac, which effectively encloses the foreign object or entity irritant, and subsequently, the pearl sac, in turn, secretes a crystalline substance, known as n...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved magnetic cultured pearl which comprises a magnetic core or nucleus which is adapted to be implanted within the host organism, such as, for example, an oyster or other mollusk. The oyster or other mollusk will then form the pearl around the magnetic core or nucleus in the normal fashion. Subsequently, the pearls are removed from the oysters or other mollusks, and as a result of the presence of the magnetic core or nucleus disposed internally within the pearls, the pearls will be magnetically attracted to each other and will be able to effectively form single or multiple strings of pearls which may be utilized in connection with the formation or manufacture of pearl necklaces or pearl bracelets. The magnetic core or nucleus can either be magnetized before implantation within the oyster or mollusk, or alternatively, the completed harvested pearl may be subjected, for example, to a suitable electro-magnetic field, after the same has been removed from the oyster or mollusk, so as to effectively magnetize the magnetic core or nucleus component.

Problems solved by technology

While cultured pearls have been fabricated for more than one hundred years by means of the foregoing, or a similar, process, problems do exist in, or plague, the cultured pearl industry, and in a similar manner, problems also plague or confound consumers who often buy pearls in the form of pearl necklaces, bracelets, and the like.

More particularly, for example, when the cultured pearls are to be utilized in connection with the manufacture of, for example, pearl necklaces, bracelets, and the like, it is necessary to drill diametrically oriented holes through the pearls, and the original nuclei disposed within the cultured pearls, in order to enable a string to be inserted through the pearls so as to effectively enable the pearls to be strung together, however, such a drilling process is extremely delicate and must be performed with great care due to the fragile nature of the crystalline structure comprising the pearl nacre.

Oftentimes, such a drilling process causes the pearls to in fact be fractured whereby not only is the supply of available pearls impacted, but obviously, the loss of such pearls is extremely costly for the manufacturers.

Another problem or drawback characteristic of pearl jewelry resides in the fact that once the pearls are in fact strung so as to form, for example, a pearl necklace or pearl bracelet, there is always the risk that, as a result of the necklace or bracelet being handled or worn, the string itself can break.

As has been experienced, such a breakage in the string, upon which the plurality of pearls are strung, often results in the plurality of pearls falling to the floor and scattering in all directions.

Accordingly, particular arrangements of the pearls may be desired, however, again, once the pearls are actually strung upon their string, they cannot be rearranged as may be desired.

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