Clams are not just for the New England proud or culinary devotees; remember that these innocuous shells are the makers of one of the world’s most treasured gems.

Ancient civilizations prized the clam for both its succulent meat and stunning pearls, and in many cultures the shell came to symbolize life’s precious abundance.

Feasting and love go hand in hand where the clam is concerned; after all, there’s a reason Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure, is depicted rising from the sea on a clam shell. It is wealth in its most unlikely form and well, isn’t that the best kind?

Whether you choose to include a pearl with your clam shell tattoo or not, this impossibly charming symbol can be worn a number of ways and styles. Brightly hued or rendered in nautical Victorian black & white ink, open or closed, the clam is an adornment made for the man who wears his wealth with unassuming dignity and maybe even a bit of a wink.

It may look like a mere-and not too terribly attractive-seashell to some, but *you* know the true fruits contained within.