Granjas de Perlas- Pearl Farm

Granjas de Perlas- Pearl Farm

3 posts today, so I hope you scroll down and keep reading.

Photos from yesterday are here: http://community.webshots.com/album/535565618Rguimn/1

Website for the Pearl Farm is here: http://www.perlas.com.mx/

Guaymas is home to a black pearl farm which we visited yesterday. We drove to San Carlos, where I replenished my supply of reading material. One of the "english speaking" areas has a small library that is open every Friday morning. Usually I just hop the bus and get enough for a week; but today we wanted to look around at couple of places that the bus doesn't travel to. San Carlos is very spread out and of course, not signed very well road wise. Somewhere out there, one of the smaller nountains has a road which winds around it all the way to the top, ending in a very scenic view. Even with Ciros directions- which took us to the golf course and a housing developement and our small tourist map, we did not find it. Oh well. We then took a newer road which connects San Carlos to Miramar, which is a part of Guaymas. We have taken the bus to Miramar several times to walk on the beautiful beach. The road passed the estuary and also the spot where they are building a huge aquarium. When we got to Miramar we asked someone for directions to the Pearl Farm. We had never seen it along the water on our other trips there. It is at ITESM better known as Tec de Monterrey. You can see the floats in the water holding the specialised nets on which the oysters grow. Apparently one of the first pearl farms was on the Baja years ago, pre-dating the Japanese ones; but it was destroyed during the 1914 revolution. Tec de Monterrey is an educational institution, large, modern buildings in a beautiful setting.

They use a different method than other farms do to implant the oysters. It is less invasive and has a lower mortality rate. It is a time consuming, intricate operation taking 4 years or so from start to finished pearl. Most pearl farms use Japanese specialists to implant the pearls, this farm does not. They grow both the round pearls and the "mabe" pearls which are flat on one side. Black pearl seems like a bit of a misnomer as the pearls are beautiful and multicolored, shimmering in the light. Of course, they also have a showroom/salesroom where you can buy the pearls, either loose or already in settings. The price of the finished product reflects the long, arduous processes involved in their production.