The Gem of the Bahamas
The Gem of the Bahamas, the lustrous pink conch pearl, carefully set in hand crafted designs by Frieden of Switzerland.
Since 1977 Coin of the Realm has been collecting the extremely rare Gem of the Bahamas - the Conch Pearl from many islands throughout The Bahamas. Fishermen come from as far South as Ragged Island and as far North as Abaco to sell these fine pearls. It is believed that one in ten thousand conchs produces a pearl, and of those pearls only 10% are considered gem quality. They are valued according to their colour, lustre and shape and often have water marks that are seen with the naked eye. The watermarks form by the water entering the conch and give each pearl its own "thumbprint". The colours range through all of the colours of a beautiful Bahamian sunset, from a light pink to a deep salmon colour.
