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The purple pearl a vacationer present in his clams at a Rehoboth Seaside restaurant has been appraised at over $4,000, however he’s not promoting.
Scott Overland, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, dined at Salt Air on Wilmington Avenue along with his spouse and two youngsters Aug. 9. He ordered a $14 littleneck clams appetizer and virtually despatched it again as a result of his spouse didn’t just like the pepper garnish.
“I assume generally you get rewarded for not being a ache at eating places!” he mentioned.
Overland felt one thing exhausting in his mouth as he ate and spit out one thing small, buttonlike and purple. He seen an indentation within the clam shell, however was skeptical he had discovered a pearl.
“We had by no means heard of a pearl in a clam. I all the time thought they got here in oysters,” he mentioned.
Pearls develop in oysters, clams and a number of other different mollusks. Overland’s pearl grew in a Cherrystone Aqua Farms northern quahog within the Chesapeake Bay.
Ballard Clams and Oysters, Cherrystone Aqua Farms’ mother or father firm, harvests between 60 million and 80 million clams a 12 months from a number of websites within the Chesapeake.
Earlier reporting:Purple pearl found by diner in his clam at Rehoboth Seaside restaurant
Ballard spokesman Tim Parsons mentioned he hears about diners discovering pearls of their clams and oysters a number of occasions a 12 months.
“Often, it’s over a dentist declare,” he joked.
The Gemological Institute of American confirmed for Overland he had discovered a pure pearl, who then had it appraised by Joshua Hyman, a fourth-generation jeweler and proprietor of Philadelphia Jewellery Appraisers.
Hyman valued the pearl at $4,071 for insurance coverage functions, however mentioned it might simply promote for extra. He mentioned pure pearls present in clams are widespread, however what makes Overland’s uncommon is its jewelry-quality magnificence.
“Not too dangerous for a bowl of clams on trip!” Overland mentioned.
He plans to maintain the pearl, a lot to the delight of his purple-loving 6-year-old daughter, and will have it made into a chunk of knickknack.
“It’s simply too particular of a reminiscence and merchandise to promote,” he mentioned.
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