•Melo “pearls” are non nacreous calcareous concretion. •They come from the Ind

•Melo “pearls” are non nacreous calcareous concretion.
•They come from the Indian volute (melo melo snail). A very large sea snail (marine gastropod mollusc) native to Southeast Asia, from Burma, Thailand and Malaysia, to the South China Sea and the Philippines.
•This snail is used for food by local fishermen and the shells are also often used as decoration, or as scoops.
•The pearls have a range of colors, with the most prized being an intense orange.
•Like conch pearls high quality melo pearls exhibit a flame-like structure.
•Also similar to conch pearls melo pearls are rare and are prized among collectors.
Melo pearl and garnet earrings by Hemmerle