The biggest oyster ever found in the UK turned up in a fish marked in Plymouth last weekend. Narrowly escaping becoming someone’s luxury dinner the giant shellfish, which has been dubbed ‘Shelly’, measures 7” across and weighs 3lb. It’s currently residing in the local aquarium, where it is on public display and proving to be quite the celebrity.

Unfortunately for fashionistas who are loving the current revival of pearl jewellery though, there’s no chance of a giant hidden gem inside the shell, because Shelly is the wrong type of oyster. It’s an especially large example of the edible oyster, the only species that live in the English Channel. Although edible oysters do secrete a hard substance called ‘pearls’ it is of no value, unlike those which come from other species of oyster.

The valuable pearls used to make pearl earrings, necklaces, bracelets and other jewellery are found in Pteriidae or feathered oysters, which nowadays are farmed on large pearl farms across the world, mainly in China. Pearls are formed inside the shell of an oyster when a grain of sand or other irritant finds its way in and the oyster builds up layers of a secretion known as nacre to cushion it with a smooth surface. Natural pearls are far more valued than cultured pearls as they are difficult to find and fully formed round natural pearls are rare.

Pearls have been worn for hundreds of years, it’s tradition for brides to wear pearls as well as the rich and glamorous across countless generations. They are well known as a demonstration of purity and love, as well as suggesting wealth and class. The introduction of cultured pearls to the jewellery market has made them more widely available in recent years, and the popular vintage fashion revival along with a number of high profile celebrities publicly displaying their love for pearl sets and other classic jewellery means pearls are as desirable as ever. Michelle Obama is the latest in a long line of celebrities showing off their pearls in the fashion pages, she is becoming famous for her unique style and ‘imaginative’ jewellery choices including lots of pearls and brooches.

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