Finding a Natural Pearl in an Oyster

Last Updated on May 1, 2023 by Carla Jonas

You’ve probably heard the stories. A couple sits down for a night at a nice restaurant – they start with a dozen oysters and after chowing down on a few, one of the diners notices something strange.

Is it a rock? Their tooth?

Nope, it’s a pearl!

These stories always make the news, making them seem like common occurrences. But before you go on a pearl hunt and order dozens and dozens of oysters, consider what the odds of finding a natural pearl actually are.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF FINDING A NATURAL PEARL?

1 in 10,000 – The odds of actually finding a natural pearl in an oyster.

1 in 1 million – The odds of one of those above-mentioned mollusks producing a pearl of gemstone quality.

$200-$400 – The average appraised value of the pearls diners find on their dinner plates.

.005% – Percent of the world’s “natural” pearls (the rest are cultured pearls).

8.8 mm – The size of a recently found natural pearl at The Lobster House Restaurant in 2022.

5 mm – The average size of pearls diners find on their dinner plates. The average size of a standard jewelry pearl? 7mm.

Two for One special – In December 2018, two different diners at two different restaurants in New York City found a pearl in their oysters within three weeks of each other.

Curios to find more on the topic? Read our posts on How Do Oysters Make Pearls and How Are Pearls Made!

Illustration and design by Masayo Ozawa – www.abombinabull.com

PEARL SPOTLIGHT:

Not so lucky to have stumbled across a natural pearl in an oyster at your favorite hot spot? No worries, we’ve got you covered – in radiant, lustrous pearls, that is. Shop for your dream pearls at The Pearl Source – your ultimate destination for pearl necklaces, pearl earrings, bracelets, and rings online.

Shop Pearl Jewelry

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Josue Ledesma

Josue Ledesma is a writer, illustrator, and content marketer living in New York City. He covers information security, tech and finance, and B2B digital marketing and has worked with brands such as VISA, Fidelity, Trustwave, The Pearl Source, among others. You can learn more about him on josueledesma.com, his illustration portfolio site.