The police officer was super lucky and bought a conch to cook. After boiling and cutting it open, he found an orange piece. It was the size of a little finger and weighed 3.4 grams. It was understood that this was a “Merlot pearl” of a rare color. It was previously reported that the highest auction price was 23 million baht.

On August 19, 2024, the reporter went to a house in Village 8, Thap Prik Sub-district, Mueang District, Krabi Province, and met with Police Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Choengthiphat. After receiving the notification from the villagers, Det Khrudthanon, Deputy Director of the First Division of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters Police, said that the policeman was the lucky one who found the Merlot pearl in the nautilus. He took it out to show the reporter that it was orange pearl-shaped, with a clear surface, the size of a little finger, weighing 3.4 grams, and purchased from the conch at Kuan Sa To Fresh Market in Krabi Yai Sub-district, Mueang Krabi District.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Choengthiphat revealed that on August 18, he went to the market to buy conchs. To cook and eat, he boiled the oysters until they were cooked and cut open the meat, and found that the lump had fallen off. At first I thought it was filled with stones. So I bought two more to prove it. But no lump of the same nature was found. I was curious, so I searched for information on social media. After identification, it was a Merlot pearl. The real thing must come from a sea snail. This is considered very good luck. Initially, now I have no intention of reselling it at all.

The reporter added that Melo Pearls, also known as Melo Pearls in English, are underwater gems worth millions. They are caused by natural shellfish such as conch shells and snails, because only 1 pearl can be found in an average of 3,000 conch shells and conch pearls, and the colors vary in depth. Orange, light yellow, dark orange or brown pearl colors are the most attractive to collectors: they are called “Orange Melo Pearls” because of their high prices and the encounter rate is quite low. Previously, it was reported at the auction that the Orange Melo Pearl was sold at a highest price of 23 million baht.