Diners find rare purple pearl in clams

A couple in Florida enjoying a plate of steamed clams made an unusual discovery - a rare purple pearl.

George and Leslie Brock stopped at Dave’s Last Resort & Raw Bar during a day at the beach on Friday.

Mr Brock was about halfway through a dozen clams when he bit down on something hard – a rare iridescent purple pearl.

At least one expert said the find could be worth thousands of dollars.

“Few are round and few are a lovely colour, so this is rare,” Vermont gemologist Antoinette Matlins told The Palm Beach Post for its Monday edition.

“I think they have found something precious and lovely and valuable.”

The gems occur most frequently in large New England quahogs – clams known for the violet colouring on the inside of their shells.

Mr Brock’s $10 plate of clams came from Apalachicola in the Florida Panhandle, said restaurant manager Tom Gerry.

The couple plan to have the pearl appraised and said they will sell it if it is worth a lot of money.