THE QUAHOG PEARL: Quahog pearls are found on the Eastern shore of North America, stretching from Northern Rhode Island to Southern Florida. These pearls are found inside of the shell species Mercenaria Mercenaria, a hard shelled clam found in the coastal waters between the gulf of St. Lawrence and the gulf of Mexico. While this species is fairly common the pearls they produce are not. Although found in colors of white, beige and brown Quahog are one of the only species of mollusk world wide to produce lavender and purple pearls. This rarity makes them not only beautiful but also very collectible.