A couple of years ago, I reported on a story about a man who bought a purple pearl brooch at a sale thinking it was costume jewelry and found himself with a piece worth around $250,000. A Florida man recently found another rare purple pearl this week and all he had to do was order a steamed clams. George Brock and his wife, Leslie found the pearl while eating at Dave's Last Resort & Raw Bar. Their pearl isn't quite as big the one in the brooch but it could be worth thousands. The couple will have it appraised and then decide if they will sell it.Lucky Couple Finds Rare Purple Pearl in Dinner
A couple of years ago, I reported on a story about a man who bought a purple pearl brooch at a sale thinking it was costume jewelry and found himself with a piece worth around $250,000. A Florida man recently found another rare purple pearl this week and all he had to do was order a steamed clams. George Brock and his wife, Leslie found the pearl while eating at Dave's Last Resort & Raw Bar. Their pearl isn't quite as big the one in the brooch but it could be worth thousands. The couple will have it appraised and then decide if they will sell it.Fiore Fiore Pearls

I have a weakness for jewelry that uses gradient coloring of gemstones in the design. The Fiore Fiore collection from Hodel Pearls is made of white South Sea pearls surrounded by white gold petals set with blue sapphires. The collection also comes in green, pink and gold with pearls of different tones to match. The necklace sells for $9,800, the ring is $9,000 and the earrings are $18,000.
Sea Change Ring
The Sea Change Ring from Anthropologie is a "wow" piece of jewelry and will grab more attention than rings that are far more expensive. It is made of sterling silver and coated with mother of pearl, giving the effect of a pearl that is slowly being revealed from inside a shell. It is 1.5-in. in diameter and handmade in the US. Price: $498.
Lucina Pearl Wrap Necklace
Jewelry that wraps is always an interesting fashion item because it is so versatile. One piece can be worn as a bracelet or necklace, and as a necklace, can be wound like a choker around the throat or worn loose. The limited edition Lucina Pearl Wrap Necklace by Oregon-based designer Scarlet Chamberlin is just such a piece, 60" long and easy to match. There are several things that make it noteworthy, however. The handmade chain is made from Ethiopian Recycled Silver (from past-circulation silver coins) with sterling silver components and it is studded with many 8mm freshwater pearls. Lucina is committed to bringing "together the craftsmanship of artisans in developing countries and the talents of American designers." Price: $325.
Tony Duquette Pearl and Diamond Necklace
This shopping section of this week's issue of
New York magazine highlights a pretty amazing pearl and diamond necklace by legendary decorator Tony
Duquette. The bib-style necklace contains 62 Baroque South Sea pearls and 29 carats of diamonds, and is set in
white gold. Duquette, who decorated homes for J. Paul Getty and the Duchess of Windsor, died in 1999; the line of
one-of-a-kind Duquette pieces is actually created by Hutton Wilkinson, his business partner. This necklace is
available exclusively at New York's Bergdorf Goodman for a whopping $227,675.







