Contents
Pearl Grafting
Preparing the Oysters
After three years of rearing in the pearl farm, the oysters are ready for grafting. Before the operation, they are deprived of food for a few days in order to slow their metabolism and lessen the risk of the graft being rejected.
Preparing the Nucleus
Next, nuclei of between 2 and 12 mm are cut from the shells of certain varieties of freshwater mussel (the best kind of nucleus coming from Mississippi mussel). These nuclei are then smoothed off so that they are perfectly spherical.
Grafting the Oysters
Grafting the oysters is a very tricky operation involving the cutting of small pieces of flesh from the mantle, which are then inserted into the oyster along with the nucleus. Finally, the oyster’s gonad is opened up, and the piece of mantle and the nucleus are inserted. The oyster is then massaged to speed up the healing process.
