RARE PURPLE PEARL served up in plate of clams

Leslie and George Brock pose with a rare purple pearl found while eating a plate of steamed clams at Dave's Last Resort in Lake Worth, Fla. Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007. At least one expert said the find could be worth thousands of dollars. (AP Photo/The Post, Bruce R. Bennett)




LAKE WORTH, Fla. - A Florida man was about halfway through a plate of steamed clams when he chomped down on something hard — a rare, iridescent purple pearl.

George Brock and his wife, Leslie, had been spending a day at the beach Friday in South Florida and stopped at Dave's Last Resort & Raw Bar for a bite. Their find could be worth thousands.

"Few are round and few are a lovely color, so this is rare," said gemologist Antoinette Matlins. "I think they have found something precious and lovely and valuable."

The gems occur most frequently in large New England quahogs, clams known for violet coloring on the inside of their shells. The clams in the $10 plate came from Apalachicola in the Florida Panhandle, said restaurant manager Tom Gerry.

The Brocks, of Royal Palm Beach, plan to have the pearl appraised and said they may sell it if it is valuable.


Now, how cool is this? The odds of finding a pearl in your calms are astronomical!

Did you know that we have natural freshwater pearls right here in Texas? They are formed in freshwater mussels around the San Angelo area. The pearls range in color from pink to purple. Local jewelers offer variety of unique settings for these rare pearls from lakes and rivers. And if you wish to try your hand at "pearl diving" pearl seekers must have annual permit from Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.