Pearls
Crab tooth or a pearl? Paula Miller thinks it’s a keeper. The Bay City resident was dining on stone crab claws over the weekend, and after digging out a decent dollop of the delectable delicacy, she dove in. Crab isn’t supposed to crunch. Miller investigated and found what appeared to be a popcorn kernel in her container of crustacean. “It was about that size, and had kind of a film on it,” she said. “I thought it was a piece of shell at first, but it wasn’t. I washed it off and it’s a pearl. There was a pearl inside that crab claw. Maybe. While crab claw clasps aren’t unusual on necklaces with pearls, the precious stone with a nucleus of calcium-encased grit isn’t commonly captured inside crabs, Brazoria County Marine Extension Agent Rich Tillman said. “I’ve never heard of that, but anything is possible,” Tillman said. “I guess.” Natural pearls are formed in the wild when a tiny grain of sand or other minor irritant finds its way into an oyster shell, then is covered by layers of calcium carbonate until they build, like a snowball. Some are round with others oddly-shaped. Miller’s mystery gem is round. “It’s about the size of an English pea,” she said. “I’ve shown it to some people, and they said it’s a really nice pearl. It’s white with orange specks.” Which could shed some light on the little jewel, Tillman said. “Stone crabs have two different types of claws,” he said. “One is a pincer used for picking up food. The other is a crusher, and it’s heavier. The crusher has large teeth, or molar-like features that crunch down on its food.” That fare includes oysters, clams and sometimes barnacles, he said. “Maybe what happened was when she broke the claw, one of those tooth-like pieces came off the crusher,” Tillman said. “It’s not uncommon to have a tooth-like feature that large. Or, maybe something grew inside the claw. It’s hard to say.” Not for jeweler Allen Green, with Green Jewelers in Bay City. A graduate gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America, Green said the object is, indeed, a pearl. “Of a type,” he said. “After looking at it, I can only conclude that some irritant caused the crab to secrete calcium carbonate, the same material the shell is made of, and for some reason made a pearl inside the claw. It’s a real oddity. “I’d call it a stone crab pearl.” Green has never seen a crab claw pearl personally or while perusing any professional publications, giving Miller a peerless paragon — and a not-so tall tale. “It’s incredible,” Green said. “It’s probably one of a kind.” Miller, a single mother, has worked at Buddy’s Seafood in Bay City seven years and knows stone crabs. “Somebody said maybe a pearl was dropped into the ocean and the crab ate it,” she said. “I don’t think so. This is very unusual.” Crab do shed their shells, reforming new ones from calcium stored in their liver and bloodstream, Tillman said. And, pearls are basically calcium deposits. Miller isn’t concerned. She has plans for her crab claw pearl. “I’m going to put it on a pendant,” she said. “It’s a very nice pearl — it’s not itty-bitty. “It’s unbelievable because nobody’s every heard of it,” Miller said. “But I swear I found a pearl in a stone crab claw.”