(Newswire.net — February 27, 2016) — Linzi Hasz was with her husband Chris at Montalcino Ristorante Italiano in Issaquah, Washington. Linzi ordered frutti di mare, and did not expect any surprises.
However, while she was dining she suddenly bit down on something really, really hard in one of the clams on her plate, she told ABC News.
At first she thought that she broke her tooth.
The restaurant was dark and all she could tell was that she bit on something really hard, round and absolutely perfect.
Hasz was not sure what it was and decided to bring the strange object home to have an expert check it out.
She contacted an expert in precious stones who told her he had fantastic news.
The gemologist, Ted Irwin, president of the Northwest Geological Laboratory and director of the Northwest Geological Institute, has found that it is a Quahog pearl, over one carat.
They are one of the rarest pearls and worth about $600 in the marketplace. Also, the chances of finding a natural, gem-quality pearl like the one Hasz found is one in a million.
The gemologist explained that the Quahog pearl can be found in clams indigenous to the Atlantic states, the New England area.
The restaurant owners Fernando and Cindy Nardone, have said that they are excited and very happy about the rare discovery as this is good advertising for Montalcino Ristorante Italiano in Issaquah.
The owners now expect more guests who will be asking for the same dish Hasz ordered.
“Coming to our restaurant is like winning the lottery!” Cindy Nardone said to the ABC News.
Linzi Hasz does not want to sell a rare pearl that she found. Without hesitation she decided to keep it. The lucky woman is planning to make a necklace with the purple gem and to keep it as a good luck charm, a kind of amulet.