QuestionOn 7/8/07 you I.D.'d for a person from Australia an operculem - cats eye made from the lid of a sea snail's shell. we have a matching pair but untill I read your answer, we did not know what we had. thank you.
they are 32mm in dia with a 2mm white band around the edge and a deep brown color.
our question: do these have any monetary and/or collectors value? we received them from a museum director as a gift 43 years ago and he did say they were cats eyes. my wife had them made into earrings,very pretty.
thank you for your comments
harry
AnswerIn answer to your Operculem-cats eye question
G'day Harry and many thanks for your query.
Generally they are not expensive and can be purchased from collectors and Lapidary shops for less than a couple of dollars. Yours do seem be be a little larger than normal though, as usually they are around the 18 - 20mm range.
Glad you like them anyway - they do make great earrings.
You might also like to add this query to my Jewelry Forum at http://www.online-jewelry-appraisals.net/jewelry-forum/ as other may have had a similar problem.
Can't hurt anyway and who knows what answers you may get.
Hope this helps...
