Pink pearl found in conch at Owia
A rare pink pearl, formed inside a Queen Conch, was found last Saturday by a worker at the Vincy Pride conch processing plant at Owia.
Jamol Bramble, whose job is to put the washed conch (strombus gigas) into boxes, then place the boxes in the freezer, told SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that he first saw something glittering last week Thursday, when the batch of conch arrived from Union Island.
According to Bramble, at the time, he mentioned to the boatmen that he had seen something glittering, so they told him he should look for what he had seen.
âI took it for granted, because I had already found a piece with a pretty colour, but they said that was the shell and I must look [for a pearl].â
It was, however, not until two days later that Bramble actually came upon his find.
âSo, while I was boxing on Saturday, I saw this thing start to glitter, on top the conch, but under the fin. I showed it to my co-workers, then I placed it on the fridge to show to my manager, who wasnât in at the time.â
Bramble said it was his manager, Mark Jacobs, who identified the find as a pearl after he showed it to him.
âI donât feel no way; I just find it,â Bramble said, when asked to describe how he feels. âI happy still, but I donât feel no way.â
He disclosed that a market is being sought for the pearl, but that aspect is being handled by Jacobs.
âI give it to him, let him deal with it.â
For his part, plant manager Jacobs told SEARCHLIGHT that he and his staff are still quite excited about the find. âWe are going to look closely when cleaning conch from now on, because who knows what we might find?â
They are, however, not in a hurry to do anyting about the pearl, he said, and are seeking a value from the United States before a decision is made.
According to Quora.com, the value of a conch pearl varies between US$300 and US$30,000 for a single pearl. Conch pearls come in a variety of hues and shapes, and each oneâs value depends on its colour and saturation, size, shape, flame structure and lustre.(GHJ)
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