Pearl Dreams
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That is a beauty!
I found a purple pearl in a clam I was eating-The Quahog Thread
- Thread starter Caitlin
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Lagoon Island Pearls
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Nice pearl.
Atlantic Quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) is often pronounced ko - hog.
Yours is very round, very uniform at the surface and distinctively purple. One terrific thing about pearls from quahogs is they are almost always immediately identifiable as such. Any mollusk can produce a purple pearl, but clams pearls present uniquely from pearls from abalone, oysters or mussels. The odds are rare, but considering tens of thousands consumed daily they are going to occur every day. Hence they're considered common.
At P-G we're reluctant to appraise value. These threads are more about identification and the stories surrounding their history or craft. Almost always, we'll suggest a finder retain their pearl as a keepsake. It's an experience most can only imagine.
That said, your piece should fetch a premium for size, shape, color and surface. Those are four very strong points. If it rolls in a straight line even better. How quahog pearls list and how pearls sell are very different things.
It's a terrific find. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Atlantic Quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) is often pronounced ko - hog.
Yours is very round, very uniform at the surface and distinctively purple. One terrific thing about pearls from quahogs is they are almost always immediately identifiable as such. Any mollusk can produce a purple pearl, but clams pearls present uniquely from pearls from abalone, oysters or mussels. The odds are rare, but considering tens of thousands consumed daily they are going to occur every day. Hence they're considered common.
At P-G we're reluctant to appraise value. These threads are more about identification and the stories surrounding their history or craft. Almost always, we'll suggest a finder retain their pearl as a keepsake. It's an experience most can only imagine.
That said, your piece should fetch a premium for size, shape, color and surface. Those are four very strong points. If it rolls in a straight line even better. How quahog pearls list and how pearls sell are very different things.
It's a terrific find. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Barbara Durham
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- Jan 6, 2008
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Well, I did it. Had my pearl made into a pendant. Found a goldsmith who consented to use my dad's and granddad's wedding bands to make a gold clamshell. I sent her the rings, an assortment of small clamshells (the shell it came in was 4 or 5 times that big), and she made a mold and then cast it. She did have to 1/2 drill it, but I'm OK with that. May never take it off. Sorry for the bad photo, it's truly gorgeous.
Pearl Dreams
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That is the best thing I've ever seen anyone do with a quahog pearl they found!
Happy Huku
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What a wonderful thing to do!
It looks great on you and what a story you have to tell.
It looks great on you and what a story you have to tell.
JerseyPearl
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That is a wonderful treasure. Enjoy it! I think I'll buy a bag of clams tonight for dinner.
Barbara Durham
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Such lovely comments! Thanks for liking it. I'd been wearing my pearl in that sterling lotus basket, but you couldn't really see it very well. Then I saw this pendant on Ebay:
The goldsmith advertised that she likes to use reclaimed precious metals, so I sent her that and asked could she do it with wedding bands. She was so accommodating. All through the mails, never met her. I took a big chance I know sending those rings and my pearl to a stranger, but it worked out.
The goldsmith advertised that she likes to use reclaimed precious metals, so I sent her that and asked could she do it with wedding bands. She was so accommodating. All through the mails, never met her. I took a big chance I know sending those rings and my pearl to a stranger, but it worked out.
Barbara Durham
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Here are better photos.
Caitlin
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I agree!. So glad to hear about the drilling.
JerseyPearl
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I really love this pendant on all counts...the pearl and the shell!
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