Quahog Purple Pearl Still in Clam Almost Eaten by Woman

A Quahog purple pearl still hidden in a clam -- and worth about $600 -- was almost eaten by a woman at a restaurant.

Lindsay Hasz told KOMO-TV she actually bit down on the pearl unexpectedly while dining with her husband at the Montalcino Ristorante Italiano in Issaquah, Washington.

"It was quite jarring," said Hasz. "In fact, I thought I almost broke my tooth it was so hard. I thought maybe it was an earring from an employee in the kitchen and it fell into my dish."

Hasz took the pearl to Ted Irwin, owner of the Northwest Gemological Laboratory, who confirmed that it was actually a Quahog pearl, said the Issaquah Press.

"I rarely see them here at all," said Irwin. "This is really more indigenous to the East Coast."

The website The Pearl Collector.com says Quahog pearls are normally found in the Mercenaria Mercenaria shell species located between the Gulf of St. Lawrence, along the eastern shore of North America, and the Gulf of Mexico.

"While this species is fairly common the pearls they produce are not," says the site. "Although found in colors of white, beige and brown, Quahogs are one of the only species of mollusk worldwide to produce lavender and purple pearls. This rarity makes them not only beautiful but also very collectible."

Irwin told KOMO-TV that when Hasz initially approached him about the pearl, he was skeptical.

"I have heard that scenario in my 35-year career and it has turned out to be nothing much," said Irwin.

Fernando and Cindy Nardone, owners of the Issaquah restaurant, told KOMO-TV they were happy that the pearl did not come from an employee, but naturally from a clam. They said Hasz informed them of the find several days after her visit.

"It was a big surprise," said Fernando Nardone. "I think we've used up our million to one odds of that happening again."

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