Kristy McCammon had waited five decades for her mother to allow her to open two vintage cans of Empress pearl oysters. When the moment finally arrived, the family gathered and discovered 19 pearls inside, prompting plans to create matching rings as a keepsake.
Family Gathering to Open Decades-Old Oyster Cans
Kristy McCammon, an Instagram content creator with over 276,000 followers, documented the experience on social media. She explained that her mother had sold pearls when Kristy was a child, describing it as a side hustle before the term became popular. The cans, labeled as a product of Japan, had been saved for 50 years.
In the video, Kristy used a screwdriver to open the cans while her mother sat beside her, expressing uncertainty about what they might find. “What are we going to have? Probably nothing,” her mother said. Kristy’s son responded, “Either way, it’s fun.”
Discovery of Pearls Inside
Upon opening the first can, the group grimaced at the smell but quickly proceeded to examine the contents. Kristy poured the oysters onto a disposable tray and used a knife to probe for pearls. The first oyster yielded a pearl, and the family continued to find more. In total, they extracted 19 pearls of various sizes.
Kristy added in the video overlay: “I’ve waited 50 years for her to let me open these – success!!!” The family plans to have the pearls set into matching rings as a memento of the occasion.
Public Reaction
The video attracted comments from viewers who shared their own experiences. One user wrote: “This is so wholesome. My mum had an Empress Pearls party in the early 1970s. I still have some jewellery she had the pearls set in, as well as a couple of loose, unset pearls. The video just took me way back to my childhood! What FUN! Thank you!” Another commented: “I had one of these cans when I was a kid and still have a pearl.” A third joked: “Screw a can of worms, I’m saying a can of 50-year-old oysters now, that’s hilarious.”
Value of the Pearls
The cost of a single oyster pearl varies widely, from under £5 to over £100,000 per pearl, depending on factors such as whether it is from a novelty kit, a cultured pearl, or a rare natural wild pearl. However, the McCammon family has expressed no interest in selling their discovery, intending instead to keep the pearls as a sentimental reminder of their shared experience.
