I found a purple pearl in a clam I was eating-The Quahog Thread

[Quahog Man]

Quahog Pearl Found 6/28/07 !

Quahog Pearl Found 6/28/07 !

Hi !
I'm quahog Man. I've been eating these forever. Well, today i discovered a beautiful pearl in a Quahog. The Color Is Acorn "ish". Top is Darker Brown, and The Botton Lighter. I don't know how to upload a picture here, any help out there ? I May Sell It.

 

[Valeria101]

I don't know how to upload a picture here, any help out there ?

Yes.

Try www.imageshack.us

and if all fails, send pictures at

data73 [at] lycos [dot] com



How big is it?

Has it been cooked with the Quahog shell it came from?

Have you kept the shell by any chance ?


You may want to run a search on Quahog pearls on this forum if not done already. There has been some talk about them in the past.

Looking forward to them pictures!

 

[RarePurplePearl]

Flawless Purple/Silver/White Quahog Clam Pearl Found 9/22/07

Flawless Purple/Silver/White Quahog Clam Pearl Found 9/22/07

I bought bushel of littleneck clams on 9-21-07 and split them with my father. While eating a raw clam on the halfshell; I bit down into a pearl.

I really could not believe my eyes.

A pearl in a clam? How bizarre is that!

This pearl is different though.

It is about the size of a skittle, oval, perfectly symmetrical, perfectly flawless and shiny.

The most interesting feature is its color. It is dark purple or lavender on one side and gradually fades into silver and then to white. I think this pearl is seriously valuable just based on the information I have found.

I am waiting to hear from Aintoinette Matlins after viewing some of the pictures I sent her. I am posting this thread to find out more about other Quahog pearls, find out the value of my pearl and maybe find someone intrested in making an offer.

If anyone out there is knowledgable in this area please chime in.


Corey, West Palm Beach Florida

info@expert-credit-advice.com

 

[GemGeek]

Good for you! Hope your teeth are okay!

The price is a mystery.

Good Luck,
Blaire

 

[jshepherd]

A good find, and a rare one.

I suggest sending an email to Jeremy Norris (jnorris) on this forum. He is one of the few people that really deal heavily in quahog pearls. He will give you a better valuation that anyone on the planet. I do not know how much Matlins will be able to help you. You may have heard of the valuation of a quahog she did a few years back. It was enormously unrealistic. In her defense she had no comparables, however.

Quahogs can be worth a few thousand dollars depending on their grade. I am not sure how the whole two-tone thing will change the value (whether up or down), however. I know the most valuable color is a light violet.

 

[Ingykiz]

What a beautiful pearl and how lucky are you that you didn't eat it! I am sure I would have. Keep us posted on your progress. Good Luck.

 

[purepearls]

Congratulations on your rare find! Jeremy is right about contacting Jeremy Norris. He should be able to give you more insight about the pearl.

The pearl really is beautiful!

 

[RarePurplePearl]

Rare Flawless Quahog Pearl Found 9-21-07

Rare Flawless Quahog Pearl Found 9-21-07

Rare Flawless Quahog Pearl Found

Has anyone ever seen a flawless 2 tone clam pearl?


I just found one. See Picture! I placed it on consignment at The Purple Store if you are intrested in aquiring it.


If anyone has any information regarding a flawless purple clam pearl, please explain......

 

[CLICLASP]

Hello,
All accurate informations about Quahog are given above,
Just to tell I have exactly the same type of 2 tons flawless Quahog and ...very happy to get one.

 

[CLICLASP]

better picture

Your picture is very interesting because of the pearl in the clam.
Did you compsoe the photo or is it the way you found the pearl ?

 

[gpr49]

One more purple pearl............

One more purple pearl............

I was just wondering if anyone could give me some advice on having my pearl appraised. I did speak to a gemologist in my area and they said I should have the pearl X-rayed by my dentist and then to bring the pearl and x-ray to them for appraisal (cost: $85).

I found the purple peal in an Oyster about 20 years ago and had it mounted (not drilled) on a ring. It's a beautiful purple color and lighter in the center. Its bigger (1 1/2) than a pea and basically round.

Any thoughts? I would greatly appreciate any advice!!

I just added the picture -

 

[jshepherd]

My first bit of advice! Never, ever, ever take any pearls to that "gemologist" in your area. His instructions are almost laughable, and clearly show that he does not have any business appraising pearls - let alone a quahog.

My suggestion for the most accurate valuation possible, is to contact Jeremy Norris (user name JNorris) of this forum, or Wes Rankin. They both deal in quahogs and Jeremy Norris has collected more than any other dealer I have met. You may need some additional help with the setting, but he should be able to give you a pretty accurate valuation of the pearl itself.

Regarding the instructions from the gemologist...

A dentist x-ray will tell you nothing. You may as well run the pearl through an airport scanner. Also, if this is a quahog pearl, what would the x-ray be looking for? It makes no sense.

Let us know if you are able to get a valuation from Jeremy Norris.

PS
Don't send the pearl to Antionette Matlins or you may go on a spending spree you will later learn you cannot afford.

 

[Slraep]

Hi grr49,

Get yourself to a different gemmologist because a dental X-ray does not have enough resolution to tell anything. It takes a special high-res attachment which only pearl appraising labs can afford to splurge on.
The only thing your gemmologist will be able to deduce from such an X-ray is if the pearl has a dental cavity or needs root canal treatment.

Slraep

 

[pattye]

Hi There Grr49,

If you have not done a search on this forum (drop down menu above) on quahog pearl, please do so now!! Let us know how this turns out!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Caitlin]

In spite of the fact you said "oyster" we are assuming you found it in a Quahog clam. If so, it is good you didn't drill it.

If it is salt water it is a quahog clam

We had a young teen summer before last, who cut his foot on a purple mussel shell in a creek. It turned out that the offending mollusk had a rather large purple freshwater pearl in it. He had it set and mom said he gave it to his girlfriend. Bad boy. He could live to regret that!

America has such an abundance of varieties of freshwater mussels, a very few of which could have a pearl in it. I think it is 1in a thousand or greater.

Below is a potamilus purpuratus and it is only one kind of mussel with a purple shell that makes purple pearls.

 

[gpr49]

Another purple pearl - picture attached

Another purple pearl - picture attached

I wasn't sure how to post a picture but I think I have now figured it out? Let me know what you think - if it actually attached!!

Thanks,
GPR49

 

[jshepherd]

It definitely looks like a quahog.

The lighter the violet the more valuable. The deeper purple pearls, or the light to white pearls do not command as much on the wholesale market. I would not even venture a guess on value without consulting Jeremy Norris and seeing a better photo (from the side and close up).

 

[gpr49]

Thank you Jeremy.

Thank you Jeremy.

I will take your advice and try to email him. I appreciate your thoughts and your reply!!

Gloria

 

[Valeria101]

Forget the dentist... Seriously.

Everything I would know to say has already been written here...

You've got a rare, wonderful thing that does not however have 'shock value'. You need to connect with folks already interested in such pearls and there are a few names mentioned already. Can't imagine there is a HUGE CROWD attuned to the value of Quahog pearls. But you don't need that anyway, just one buyer

Always a pleasure to see such things !

 

[effisk]

PS
Don't send the pearl to Antionette Matlins or you may go on a spending spree you will later learn you cannot afford.[/SIZE]

Hi Jeremy,

Just being curious, is this from your own experience ?