The Imperial Hong Kong Pearl Is one of the Largest most valuable Pearls ever found. Formed in Pinctada Maxima this Natural South Sea wonder measures
26x39 MM and weighing a staggering 127.5 ct or 25.5 Grams
The Pearl origins are unclear it is belived to have once belonged to the Royalty of China and Purchased by Imperial
in Hong Kong in the 1940s
The Pearl is set in a Platinum and Diamond Pendent
Abernethy Pearl
The Abernethy pearl is perhaps the most famous and perfect Scottish freshwater
pearl, weighing 44 grains, collected by Bill Abernethy in the Tay River in 1967.
The Abernethy pearl is also called the Little Willie pearl.
Arco Valley Pearl
The Arco Valley pearl is baroque in shape, 575 carats, white with pink and brown
hues. Offered by Marco Polo to Khubilai Khan, emperor of China.
Pearl of Asia
600 carats
One of the largest natural pearls in the world, the Pearl of Asia first surfaced
in 17th century India. After the siege of Delhi it became the property of the
King of Persia (present-day Iran), who in turn gave it to Chinese Emperor
Qianlong. In China it was thought to bring happiness and good fortune.
Black Beauty
6.5 carats
Black Beauty hails from the South American shores of the Caribbean or Equador, a
region that has produced many fancy colored pearls. This well formed, button
shaped natural pearl illustrates a blend of bright colors, orient, and high
sheen, making it one of the finest natural black-colored pearls known
Big Pink Pearl
The Big Pink pearl is the largest known natural abalone pearl, weighing 470
carats and baroque in shape. Owned by Wesley Rankin, a diver in Petaluma,
California. isted in the Guiness Book of Records and valued in 1991 at
$4,700,000.
Drexel Pearl
33.8 carats
The Drexel Pearl (lower pearl) is named after Mary S. Irick Drexel, an
early-20th-century American philanthropist. The symmetry of this natural
Polynesian pearl, the subtle gray color, and the orient of its smooth surface
make it extremely rare. It is set in a Belle Epoque pendant-brooch by Cartier of
America
Dudley Pearl
The Dudley pearl is a large black pearl fashioned into a brooch and sold by Fred
Leighton to Jane Wrightsman.
Eugénie Pearls
The Eugenie pearls are a large jewel collection from the French Crown Jewels and
later auctioned at the Palace of the Tuileries in 1887. Many had been purchased
by Napoleon Bonaparte for his wives Josephine and Marie Louise. Also see the
Queen Pearl.
Gogibus Pearl
The Gogibus pearl is 504 grains (126 carats), pear-shaped, and found off the
West Indies. Purchased from the merchant Gobius by Philip IV of Spain in 1620,
it was the largest pearl in Europe at the time. Gogibus reportedly wore the
pearl as a button on his cap.
One of the largest pearls in existence is the Hope Pearl
The Hope pearl is a white drop-shaped freshwater blister pearl of 1,800 grains
(450 carats or 4 oz). One of the largest saltwater pearls in existence , the
Hope Pearl was first acquired by Henry Philip Hope in the 19th century. It is on
display at the British Museum of Natural History.. The Hope Pearl is now
capped by a kind of crown forming a pendant.
Huerfana Pearl
The Huerfana peral, meaning “The Orphan,” was collected in the Gulf of Panama,
and is part of the Spanish Crown Jewels. Reputed to have been found loose in a
shell bed and not in an oyster. Noted for its large size, beautiful luster, and
perfect shape, the pearl was briefly owned by Isabel de Bobadilla, the daughter
of the man who sent Columbus back in irons.
Jomon Pearl
The Jomon pearl of Japan is the oldest known extant pearl, dating back 5,500
years.
Pearl of Kuwait
64.4 carats
Loaned by Symbolic and Chase
Little is known about this pearl’s history, but its silky luster and white body
color recall the classic appearance of natural pearls from the Persian Gulf.
Based on the intricate bell cap design, this exceptional pearl was set in the
19th century and most likely suspended from a multi-row necklace
La Pellegrina Pearl
The La Pellegrina pearl, meaning "The Incomparable", is 111.5 grains in weight,
perfectly spherical, and of silver color from South America. Brought to Russia
from India in the 18th century. Once part of the Spanish Crown Jewels, this
pearl is now lost. Sold by Christie’s Geneva in 1987 for $463,800. Originally
called the Zozima Pearl.
The La Peregrina pearl, meaning “The Pilgrim”, is a large pear-shaped white pearl of 203.84 grains discovered in Panama in mid-16th century and brought to King Phillip II of Spain who presented it as a wedding gift to his wife, Queen Mary. Later it belonged to Queen Margaret of Spain as well as Joseph Bonaparte, King of Spain. Later it was acquired by the British Marquis of Abercorn from the son of French emperor Napoleon III. It was purchased in 1969 for $37,000 by actor Richard Burton for his wife, Elizabeth Taylor, who still owns it.
A few years ago, the actress lost the pearl. After a frantic search, the precious gem was finally found in the mouth of her pet dog.
La Régente Pearl
The La Régente pearl is a large (337-grain), natural oval pearl bought in 1811
by Napoleon for his second wife Empress Marie Louise for her tiara. Sold at
auction in 1887 along with most of the French Crown Jewels to Russian jeweler
Peter Carl Fabergé. It was sold by Christie's Geneva in 1988 for $859,100.
Lao-tze
Though most people think pearls only come from "pearl oysters," they are produced by many mollusks (shellfish). Both univalves (snails, whelks and conchs) and bivalves (mussels, clams, oysters), both in fresh water and salt, form pearls.
The largest pearl known was found by an anonymous Muslim Filipino diver off the island of Palawan in 1934. It was first called the Pearl of Allah and is now officially named the Pearl of Lao-tze.
In 1936 Wilbur Dowell Cobb was given the pearl as a gift by a chieftain of Palawan for having saved the life of his son. In 1980, Cobb's heirs sold it to a jeweler in Beverly Hills, California, for $200,000. It is now estimated to be worth upwards of $40,000,000!
It has recently (1999) been sold or at least negotiated for.
Is it the really biggest pearl? At 14 pounds (6.4 kg) there is little doubt. The giant clam, Tridacna gigas, is the only mollusk that could have produced such a large pearl. Its shell is so large that it is often used as an oversized baptismal font in the South Seas, particularly in the Philippines, the only Catholic state in Asia (though with large Muslim, Chinese and tribal minorities).
In the 1750s Alexander Dalrymple described these big shells and their pearls. Dalrymple worked for the British East India Company and in 1758 concluded a peace treaty with the Sultan of Sulu, an archipelago at the southern end of the Philippines. His account reads in part:
Manangcy, or keema --- called humba by the Chinese --- is a shell-fish generally denominated "cockles" by our voyagers. ... It is said that on the west coast of Sumatra [Indonesia] they have been found so large as to contain 50 gallons in the two shells. I brought to England a pair fished at Balambangan [in the Philippines], each measuring 2 feet, 8 inches [ca.77 m]. ... The large ones, in general, yield pearls of various appearances: the most beautiful I have ever seen is Lord Pigot's, which weighs 8 dwt. 17 gr. and is 49/50 of an inch long and 38/50 of an inch in diameter.
Odd choice of measurements. Who measures things in fiftieths of an inch? The weight system he used is called "pennyweight," part of the Troy measuring system, still in use for gold and silver. Lord Pigot's pearl weighed 13.5 grams or just under a half an ounce. The Pearl of Allah or Lao-tze is much larger.
Mancini Pearls
The Mancini pearls are large drop-shaped pearls fashioned into earrings and
originally part of the collection of the Florentine ruling family dei Medici.
Brought to France by Maria dei Medici when she married Henry IV in 1600. Passed
to Maria’s daughter, Henrietta Maria, on her wedding to King Charles I of
England. Sold by Christie's Geneva in 1969 for $333,000.
Queen Mary Brooch
24.9 carats (top)
28.1 carats (bottom)
This excellent example of conch pearl jewelry belonged to Queen Mary
(1867–1953), the wife of King George V. Conch pearls were particularly popular
in Europe during the early 20th century. Their deep color and the silky sheen
across the surface distinguish this type of natural pearl from traditional
pearls
Mary Queen of Scots Pearls
The Mary Queen of Scots pearls are one of the earliest known pearl collections.
The best known piece was a six-strand necklace strung as a rosary and consisting
of more than 600 pearls. Many of these pearls were purchased by Queen Elizabeth
I of England.
Morgan-Tiffany Pearls
The Morgan-Tiffany pearls are a collection of 557 North American freshwater
pearls and are now displayed at the American Museum of Natural History.
Pearl
of Allah
The Pearl of Allah is the largest pearl on record, and was recovered from a
160-lb Giant Clam. This pearl is 23.8 cm long, and weighs 6.4 kg (about 14 lbs).
It was reportedly found by a free-diving pearl diver on May 7, 1934, at Palawan
Island, Philippines.
According to the Guiness Book of Records, the San Francisco Gem Laboratory has valued this pearl at $40 million. Also called the Pearl of Lao-Tsu or Lao-Tse Pearl.
In 1936 Wilbur Dowell Cobb was given the pearl as a gift by a chieftain of Palawan for having saved the life of his son. In 1980, Cobb's heirs sold it to a jeweler in Beverly Hills, California, for $200,000. It is now estimated to be worth upwards of $40,000,000!
It has recently (1999) been sold or at least negotiated for.
Is it the really biggest pearl? At 14 pounds (6.4 kg) there is little doubt. The giant clam, Tridacna gigas, is the only mollusk that could have produced such a large pearl. Its shell is so large that it is often used as an oversized baptismal font in the South Seas, particularly in the Philippines, the only Catholic state in Asia (though with large Muslim, Chinese and tribal minorities).
In the 1750s Alexander Dalrymple described these big shells and their pearls. Dalrymple worked for the British East India Company and in 1758 concluded a peace treaty with the Sultan of Sulu, an archipelago at the southern end of the Philippines. His account reads in part:
Manangcy, or keema --- called humba by the Chinese --- is a shell-fish generally denominated "cockles" by our voyagers. ... It is said that on the west coast of Sumatra [Indonesia] they have been found so large as to contain 50 gallons in the two shells. I brought to England a pair fished at Balambangan [in the Philippines], each measuring 2 feet, 8 inches [ca.77 m]. ... The large ones, in general, yield pearls of various appearances: the most beautiful I have ever seen is Lord Pigot's, which weighs 8 dwt. 17 gr. and is 49/50 of an inch long and 38/50 of an inch in diameter.
Odd choice of measurements. Who measures things in fiftieths of an inch? The weight system he used is called "pennyweight," part of the Troy measuring system, still in use for gold and silver. Lord Pigot's pearl weighed 13.5 grams or just under a half an ounce. The Pearl of Allah or Lao-tze is much larger.
Queen Pearl
The Queen pearl is among the first pearls found in the United States, initiating
a pearl rush in the eastern US. The Queen pearl is pink, weighing 93 grains
(23.25 carats), and was found in Notch Brook, New Jersey, in 1857.
The Queen Pearl is another pearl with a storied past. It is a large freshwater pearl found in New Jersey and subsequently sold to Tiffany in New York. From there, the pearl made its way to Paris and Princess Eugenie. She presented it to an American friend, Thomas Evans, who helped her escape from France when the Empire fell in 1870. Evans was a Philadelphia dentist who, at his death, bequeathed his collection of pearls and gems to the Philadelphia Dental School. Some of the material was later sold to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York, where it resides today. According to Landman, a large freshwater pearl in the exhibition that was loaned from the Cooper-Hewitt may very well be the Queen Pearl
Roseate Pearl
The Roseate pearl is a Pinctada maxima pearl from Broome. It is perfectly round,
roseate (pink) in hue. The Roseate pearl has a murder mystery surrounding it and
is of questionable existence.
Sara Pearl
The Sara pearl is a drop-shaped gray pearl weighing 220 grains found near Isla
Margarita off Venezuela. It is most likely “Pearl Number 3” illustrated by Jean
Baptiste Tavernier in Travels in India in the 17th century.
Southern Cross Pearls
The Southern Cross pearls were fashioned into a cross and are nine natural
baroque Pinctada maxima pearls.
Star of Asia Pearl
The Star of Asia pearl is the world’s biggest Pinctada pearl, weighing at 5½
ounces (or 2400 grains). This pearl is eggplant-shaped.
Star of the West Pearl
The Star of the West pearl, also known as the Broome pearl, was found in 1917 by
a Japanese diver working for James Clark "the Pearl King".
Survival
90.4 carats
The lavender-pink and bronze colored Survival is an exceptional example of a
freshwater pearl from the Tennessee River. The pearl takes its shape from the
snail parasite that intruded inside the mussel and its name from the time it
grew inside the shell, about 50–70 years
Thiers Pearls
The Thiers pearls were fashioned into a necklace for Madame Thiers, wife of the
first president of France, now in the Louvre. The Thiers pearls consist of three
strands of 145 large, almost perfectly round, graduated natural pearls.
Christopher Walling
Abalone Pearl
187.5 carats
Although better known for its flavorful meat and iridescent shells, abalones can
produce asymmetrical pearls, usually of cone or cusp shapes. Unlike the
structure of oyster and mussel pearls, abalone pearls have an alveolar, or
honeycomb-like, structure which produces an unusual surface sheen or pattern
Van Buren Pearls
The Van Buren pearls were fashioned into a necklace for president Martin Van
Buren. Now in the Smithsonian collection of First Lady costumes.