“Why are pearls popular in the South?” an executive editor from a prominent southern magazine asked me last week. It is a good question and really got me thinking. Running a popular southern pearl business, I frankly have simply taken it for granted that we southerner love our pearls! But where did this love affair with …
As many of you know, I am fascinated with American mother of pearl and its use in the international cultured pearl industry. Upon researching old images, I found these great images and info from The Gazette. This is the Guttenberg pearl button factory. India RowsI am a modern day treasure hunter who travels the world for …
A few months ago I was approached by a reporter interested in discussing Tennessee pearls and the decline of this industry. She recently finished her article and it is such a great, robust and comprehensive read I wanted to share it on my blog. The original article, by Rhian Sasseen can be found at Aljazeera America. …
Tomorrow is the day the July, 2014 issue of Southern Living hits the newsstands and we are supposed to be in it. As I write this, I think about the long journey of creating a signature jewelry piece for Southern Living and I wonder, after almost a year, if we will be featured in Southern …
Continue reading “Creating the Southern Statement Necklace for Southern Living”
A review of first lady jewelry… this might be the beginning of a long series of blog posts! But, as I land in Washington D.C. to take care of some pearl business and then attend my 20th high school reunion (gasp!), I have presidents on the brain. Or, more importantly, their first ladies! And their …
Continue reading “First Lady Jewelry: Martha Washington’s Pearls”
Summertime and the diving is easy . Okay, not easy, but certainly easier. Diving for pearls and mussels on the Tennessee River can be tough business. We have discussed the dangers of diving including danger from other people, debris in there water and decompression issues. There are also dams to contend with and times when the …
What is the best place for mussels on the Tennessee River? If Tennessee River pearl divers are spending there time diving for mussels (and pearls!) on the Tennessee River, then they better know the best places to dive. Right? Well, the answer is complicated. Just like a fisherman’s favorite fishing hole, divers do not readily …
There is a danger of pearl diving in the Tennessee River. Truthfully, all types of pearl diving can lead to accidents, panic situations, decompression issues and more. There have been many deaths on the Tennessee River especially during the peak days of pearl and mussel diving. We usually think of divers as having a tank …
Can pearls die? At first, this might seem like a silly question. The mussels, oysters and other mollusks that produce pearls are certainly alive but pearls are not. So how can they die? Maybe instead of asking “can pearls die?” we should ask, “are pearls dead?” There is a phenomena known as dead pearls. This …
Where do pearls come from? We know pearls come from mollusks, either freshwater mussels, saltwater oysters or more. But pearls are formed in different areas INSIDE these mollusks. We asked James Peach to explain these different parts of the mollusk to us and show us where natural American freshwater pearls are formed. The pretty round …
Muddy Water? Seriously, what is it like diving on the Tennessee River and how murky and muddy is that water?! Diver Bruce answers our muddy water question in this video. Here is a spoiler… it depends on the season and how deep you dive! Hear more: India RowsI am a modern day treasure hunter who …
Toe digging for mussel shells. Sometimes it is not about putting on diving gear and braving the cold waters of the Tennessee River to search for mussel shells. Sometimes the work can be done from the waste down by toe digging. Toe digging is just what it sounds like… digging your toes in the soft, …
