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Cruising through the west Texas plains bursting with mesquite trees, tumbleweeds and road runners, who would have thought an amazing surreptitious pearl was around the corner? I was following the Concho River, which runs through San Angelo, and stopped for a day of sightseeing in this city smack in the middle of sheep and goat ranches.

The Concho River originates near the Glasscock County line and flows southeast for 88 miles. The three tributaries, the North, Middle and South Concho Rivers, meet at the San Angelo State Park, and eventually flow into the Colorado River.

Named by the Spanish in the early 15th century, Concho River means “River of Shells” in Spanish. The river is aptly named with at least 12 varieties of fresh-water mussel-clams inhabiting the river system. The mussels range from a tiny tissue-shelled being to the Tampico mussel — a larger black-shelled producer of beautiful pearls called “Concho Pearls.”

The birth of a pearl is a mysterious and remarkable story of pain, survival and beauty. In nature, a pearl is formed when a minuscule grain of sand or foreign object accidentally enters the mussel as it feeds. To protect against the irritant and possible infection leading to death, the mussel coats the object with layers of a fine crystalline substance called “nacre,” eventually forming a pearl.

Due to this freak of nature and course of action for survival by the mussel, pearls are rare and considered a treasure affordable only by the rich. As a result, pearls embrace a reputation of being a symbol of royalty and wealth. The lakes and rivers around San Angelo are the only place in the world where these unique fresh-water pearls are found, securing their value. For hundreds of year, Native Americans in the area consumed the mussels but threw away the pearls. It was the Spanish explorers who first found value in these uniquely shaped jewels. Legend holds that the Spanish crown jewels include Concho Pearls.

Concho pearls range in color from light pink to dark purple and in size from spherical to baroque in shape. The raw pearl is naturally flat on one side, resembling a scoop of half melted ice cream. Some are left in their natural form resulting in one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry; others are sanded and polished to be perfectly round. Concho pearls should always be natural and found only by individuals diving into the river.

But don’t get your snorkel gear out yet. Less than 10 percent of the mussels found today include a pearl, and most pearls are just a tad bit larger than a grain of rice. because few mussels remain to reach a mature age. Sadly, thousands of mussels were harvested in the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in a near extinction of this precious Texas gem. Because of the extreme over-harvesting of pearls in the past, a permit is required for pearl hunting in Texas and few permits are distributed.

To honor their pearl history, San Angelo commissioned a bronze statue of a life-size mermaid holding a mussel. I found the attractive golden lady with a fish tail gracing the Concho River along the peaceful Concho Riverwalk near historic downtown.

To ensure the authenticity of the Concho Pearl, it is best to purchase from local jewelry experts. Another avenue is to have the pearls authenticated by a trained and licensed gemologist or lapidarist who is an artisan that fashions stone, minerals or gemstones into decorative items. A lapidarist cuts, grinds and polishes hardstones, with many requiring specialized carving techniques depending on the stone’s density and grains.

Texas is a large state with diverse geological features, and a great place for rock hunters and gem collectors of precious and semiprecious stones. There are more than 20 gems found in Texas from the rich Hill Country to the sandy beaches, plains, prairies and Piney Woods. However, only a few meet the quality and texture for jewelry.

Topaz

The blue topaz is the official state gem of Texas, and extremely rare. Usually colorless or pale blue in color, the Texas topaz can occasionally create a yellow, pale gray, reddish-orange or pink colored stone due to impurities in the rock. The topaz was first discovered in Texas in 1904 in Precambrian granite found in the Mason County Llano Uplift.

To hunt for your own blue topaz, call the Mason Chamber of Commerce at 325-347-5758 or go to www.masontxcoc.com for information on several different ranches that allow gem hunters for a fee. More information about blue topaz is available at the Mason Country Collectibles & Museum store at www.masoncountrycollectibles.com.

Agate

A type of chalcedony or Cryptocrystalline quartz, the Texas agate is usually red or black and found in Brewster County near the town of Alpine. The most popular use of agate in Texas is belt buckles or bracelets.

Jasper

Another type of chalcedony, jasper is usually red, green, yellow or brown and can be found in the limestone formations in the west central counties of San Saba and McCulloch, or the northern panhandle area in Moore County. Jasper stones are known for their metaphysical healing properties and often found loose in order to hold them or place in a pocket.

Opal

This lovely gemstone of white that sparkles with movement has a secret ingredient — water. The Texas opal can contain up to 10 percent water, allowing the gem to diffract light and shine in different colors, including purple, pink, blue and green.

Although 95% of the world’s supply of opal is mined in Australia, a small deposit exists in the eastern Gulf coast of Texas in fossilized wood structures in the Catahoula Formation.

After a 150-year history of mutual tourism exchange concerning opals between the city of Adelaide, Australia, and the city of Austin, the mayor of Adelaide presented a beautiful large opal brooch surrounded by diamonds to the then mayor. On July 11, 1983, the two cities became official sister cities. However, all was not well with the opal gift. Valued at $50,000 at the time, rumor was that the Australian mayor’s wife thought the opal was bad luck which is why they gave it away. The Austin Mayor Watson’s wife was afraid to wear it, and claimed the shining red sparkles from the opal were the eyes of the devil. Worn only occasionally by Austin mayoral wives throughout the years, both sides agreed to return the opal which now sits in the Adelaide town hall with the history of the opal’s journey for all to read.

Amber

The softness of amber requires protection from scratches and nicks, limiting jewelry use to brooches and necklaces. Stones of rich brown to yellowish gold in color are found near Eagle Pass in Maverick County or in a Cretaceous coal strain found on Terlingua Creek in Brewster County.

If you Go & Dig

Public land available for rock and gem hunting is rare in Texas, so permission on private land such as ranches is usually necessary. Most digging sites require a daily or hourly fee. A good place to learn more about rock digging permits is the Texas Parks & Wildlife website at www.tpwd.texas.gov. To learn more about gems and minerals found in Texas go to www.geologypage.com or www.rockseeker.com.