What is the name of the most expensive pearl?

Pearls are classics, and classics never go out of style. This is confirmed by the results of international jewelry auctions. Jewelry with natural stones of rare shades is unique and costs millions of dollars.

Festoon – 7 strands of pearls at an incredible price

The 614 white pearls in the “Garland” necklace are valued at $9 million, taking 2nd place in the Top 10 most expensive pearl jewelry. The multi-row product resembles a garland (English – festoon).

Delightful beads with a diameter of 5,1-17,05 mm are strung on 7 strong threads. The elegant gold and platinum clasp is encrusted with diamonds.

La Peregrina − “The Wandering Pearl” by Elizabeth Taylor

Before Elizabeth Taylor, the most expensive pearl in the world was owned by Spanish kings, French and English monarchs. Large (55,95 carats), flawless white jewel pear-shaped depicted in portraits of Mary Tudor, Queen Isabella of Bourbon.

The queen of Hollywood, Peregrine, was given as a Valentine’s Day gift by her husband, Richard Burton. The gift, worth 37 thousand dollars, became an adornment of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry collection. The designers of the Cartier jewelry house adjusted the massive “Wanderer” (Spanish) la pilgrim – “wanderer”) in a heavy necklace of rubies and diamonds.

In 2011, after the death of the popular actress, the legendary “Wanderer” continued her journey. An anonymous buyer from Asia purchased it at auction for $ 11,8 million

Baroda necklace

This pearl necklace has a long and interesting history, which began in the 2007th century in the Indian principality of Baroda. In XNUMX it was sold at Christie’s auction for $ 7,096 million The 68 beads of the double-row Baroda necklace are rightfully included in the Top 10 most expensive natural pearls in the world.

The necklace belonged to the Gaekwad dynasty, originally it had 7 threads, the jewelry was worn by the rulers of the principality

By order of Sita Devi (wife of the last Maharaja of Baroda), jewelry craftsmen remade an ancient piece of jewelry. Jewelers selected 68 ideal beads measuring 10-16 mm and made a two-row women’s necklace with an original diamond clasp.

Three unusual and most expensive pearls

The top 10 most expensive pearls in the world are headed by the “Beauty of the Ocean” pearl, artificially grown in Mongolia from fluorite. The creative process lasted 3 long years. The unusual sphere weighs 6 tons and glows in the dark. The stone costs $139.

Off the island of Palawan, a Filipino fisherman found an unusual pearl, which was valued at $100 million. The unique pearl weighs approx. 34 kilograms, its dimensions are impressive:

width – 67 cm;
length – 30 cm.

The unique find was in a fisherman’s house for 10 years; its existence was discovered by chance during a fire.

The large pink pearl is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The unique pearl weighs 470 carats and is shaped like an auricle. Cost – $4. This miracle of nature was found by diver Wesley Rankin.

120 pearl beads for $3,7 million

The necklace does not have a name, but this does not make the beauty fade, and the price does not decrease. Large pearls with a diameter of 6,5-12,25 mm of a beautiful white and cream color are strung on 2 strands. The clasp is decorated with a luxurious diamond weighing 3 ct.

In 2012, a jewel made from two strands of pearls sold for $3,7 million at Christie’s.

Pearls of Viscountess Cowdray

Lady Cowdray was involved in politics and collected works of art and jewelry. In 2015, her exquisite necklace Cowdray was sold at Sotheby’s for $5. Two years earlier, the jewel cost $300.

A string of pearls 43 centimeters long with 42 Tahitian pearls of rare shades was so highly appreciated:

dark grey;
pink-gray;
gray with a purple tint.

A unique product was made by designers of a French jewelry company Cartier, it is one of a kind. According to experts, the price of the jewelry is 4,5-7 million dollars.

The most expensive black natural pearls

Dearest black sea pearls went under the hammer for $5,1 million. The luxurious four-row decoration set a kind of record at the Christie’s auction. It turned out to be the most expensive of the products made from colored natural stones sold there.

Strings of pearls with gray and black beads are unique pieces of jewelry and are extremely rarely offered for sale. For collectors, it is not white, but colored natural stones that are of greater interest.

Pearl necklace from Cartier

For just $100 Pierre Cartier I bought 2 strings of pearls for my wife and office space. The acquisition brought good luck: the French jewelry company is thriving to this day, the wife and subsequent owners of the necklace appreciated the beauty of natural stones.

In 1917, this decoration marked the beginning of the family business!

A double-row precious necklace from Cartier closes the Top 10 most expensive pearls in the world. Just one row of this necklace was sold for $1 million; the price of the entire necklace, also decorated with a diamond, is about $3,5 million!

Brilliant pearls are unique among stones, because by chance an ancient man found a pristine pearl on the ocean shore, which became his first piece of jewelry. The magical glow of mother-of-pearl elevated pearls to the level of adoration and passion. Historically, pearls have played a big role in the lives of rulers.

The mother-of-pearl sphere, which once “guided” emperors and kings, and currently plays an important role in social life where prestige and wealth are important.

word

The pleasantly pronounced, “murmuring” word “pearl” in ancient and modern languages and dialects unites a single common meaning – PURITY, VIRGINITY, IMINITY. Even in pre-biblical times, man endowed pearls with such traits as CHASTITY, DIGNITY, SPIRITUALITY and BEAUTY.

GREECE – MARGARITA
INDIA – MOOTIE, MUTYA, MOOTARA
PERSIA – FARIDA
ROME – PERLA
JAPAN, CHINA – SHINJU
RUSSIA – TSCEMTSCHUG

Ancient times

Ancient texts glorify the beauty of natural pearls. Pearls are compared to all that is most magnificent. The Talmud says: The clothing of Adam and Eve, created by God, was as beautiful as a pearl. In the Old Testament they write: “wisdom is more valuable than pearls and is not equal to rubies.” In the Koran, trees in paradise were decorated with pearls.

In antiquity, the gates of paradise were called “pearly”, and the kingdom of heaven is told as the story of a merchant who found the most beautiful pearl, sold his entire fortune, bought the perfect pearl and became the owner of Paradise.

Scientists claim that pearls were first used as jewelry in the 40th century BC (on the Mesopotamian peninsula). The Persian king was the first owner of a pearl necklace, and it was kept in a sarcophagus for 2500 years before it came to the Louvre.

Back in the 15th century BC. The Indians loved excellent pearls. In the sacred ancient Indian books they write that when a person was initiated into the Brahmas, they put a necklace of large pearls around the neck, which served as a talisman and protected against failure. One legend says: Krishna presented his daughter with a magnificent deep-sea pearl as a wedding gift; since that time, pearls have forever remained the main wedding attribute in India.

In China several thousand years ago, pearls were a sign of power and high social status. The rank of the official was marked with a certain ball. The balls were made of turquoise, ruby, carnelian, jade, sapphire, coral, and they were attached to the headdress. The official of the highest position was the owner of a ball of pearls. Only the emperor himself could wear pearl beads, and on his small round cap there were twelve perfect pearl beads.

India and China

Egypt

The most famous story about pearls tells about the great queen Cleopatra, she was the most powerful and treacherous woman according to Plutarch. Cleopatra made a deal with Mark Antony. The bet was that Cleopatra would give her favorite the most expensive dinner. An unknown Roman was appointed arbitrator.

At the end of a large dinner, Mark Antony prepared to celebrate his victory. At that moment, Cleopatra unexpectedly raised a glass to the well-being of Mark Antony and threw an earring made of perfect pearls into the wine. After the pearl had completely dissolved, the queen drank the wine, and victory was hers. Since that time, this dinner with Cleopatra has been considered the most expensive in the history of mankind.

Greece and Rome

The Greek goddess of love Aphrodite (Venus for the Romans) emerged from the sea waves. In mythology, Aphrodite emerged from a sea shell, and drops of water from her beautiful hair formed into incredibly beautiful pearls. The classic image of Aphrodite in a seashell will always be a symbol of love in Western culture.

Pearls became the main jewel of ancient Rome. In 54 BC. e. Caesar decided to enrich the royal treasury with precious pearls. To do this, he landed an amphibious assault in Britain, which was supposed to collect pearls in large quantities. At that time, pearls were at the peak of popularity; a new term “margaritary” was coined for pearl sellers. Pearl merchants held an honorable rank in the Roman Forum. The sacred temples of Venus and Jupiter were decorated with pearls. It was customary to give pearls to beloved gods and children. The actors’ shoes were embroidered with pearls. The Emperor’s home was also decorated with pearls.

Pliny, a famous Roman commander, wrote a book about stones, in which he described the main categories of pearls: size, surface, roundness, weight, color. Based on these characteristics, modern pearl experts evaluate its quality.

middle Ages

In Christianity, pearls have a new meaning; they have become a symbol of Mary. Traditionally, Christ is compared to pearls: “Divine lightning from heaven entered Mary, and from her came the most valuable pearl. She gave birth to the Pearl, Christ, from divine lightning” (John of Damascus).

The pearls on the icons depicting Mary represent her son Christ. Pearls have always been popular among women, especially in the Middle Ages, because they are a symbol of femininity and motherhood. Women decorated their hair with pearls, embroidered and wove pearls. In museums in Scandinavia you can see masterpieces made of pearls from that time.

The nobles were against the wearing of pearls by people of non-noble origin. Pearls were used by the ruling class as the main decoration at weddings, tournaments, and coronations. European kingdoms banned the wearing of pearl jewelry by commoners.

age of enlightenment

Jewelry flourished thanks to the development of art. During the “romanticism” period, simple jewelry was replaced by jewelry dragons, fairy-tale characters, magnificent crowns and luxurious brooches. During the Renaissance, any decoration was completed with a luxurious round pearl, such a pearl can be seen on the hat of Philip II the Fearless. This pearl is called Peregrine, it reminded the king of his wife Mary Tudor.

In almost all portraits of that time you can see luxurious jewelry made of the rarest pearls: on Queen Elizabeth, Anne Boleyn, Mary de Medici, Mary Stuart. Pearls as a rare piece of jewelry have become more accessible. Conquistadors plundered the wealthy Aztecs in the 16th and 17th centuries. They exported about two thousand kilograms of pearls from America to Europe.

The pearl market began to develop rapidly and the Age of Pearls began. There was a fashion for irregularly shaped pearls or, as they now call it, baroque pearls, the name comes from the Baroque style. Freshwater pearls are also becoming popular. The royal nobility was no longer able to stop the popularity of pearls among wide social strata.

XVIII-XIX centuries

In the 18th century, the pearl market reached its peak and the era of pearls came to an end. For natural reasons, imports of pearls from China and India have declined greatly, and freshwater pearls are becoming less popular.

Kimberlite pipes were discovered in Brazil, and until the end of the 18th century, the aristocratic segments of the population preferred diamonds over pearls. According to courtyard etiquette, pearls could be worn to semi-formal events. During this period, legends and myths spread, representing pearls as a symbol of sadness and tears of unhappy love. The main reason for the personification of pearls with tears is more due to the fact that most of the royal families lost their power in Europe due to numerous wars. The new aristocrats tried to set themselves against the old royal courts and made the diamond a symbol of their power, while the old nobles shed tears for past greatness. The nobility lost interest in pearls, but the bourgeoisie, on the contrary, became interested in pearls.

In the 19th century, pearls spread among wealthy, but not titled, citizens of Europe. Large sections of society now have the opportunity to become richer thanks to the age of industrialization. In the second half of the 19th century, wealthy merchants afforded themselves pearl jewelry of an aristocratic level. They made copies from jewelers. Long necklaces made of several strands and a pearl tiara were in fashion. The 19th century marked the last stage in the era of natural deep-sea pearls.

By the beginning of the 20th century, due to improper mining methods, reserves of natural pearls had dwindled to nothing. To find even one large perfect pearl, pearl divers destroyed up to 10 oysters, as a result of which entire generations of oysters were exterminated. Due to this, the price of pearls has increased significantly. The famous jeweler Jacques Cartier bought a store in New York on the famous 000th Avenue, giving away two necklaces made of sea pearls.

Traders are starting to look beyond India and China for pearls. They go to French Polynesia, Australia, and Japan. At this time, Kokichi Mikimoto, the king of pearls, is working there, who very soon will completely change the history of pearls.

XX century

For centuries, pearl fishing has been shrouded in mystery, involving great difficulty and great risk. Humanity was puzzled by the idea of cultivating pearls. The harvesting of natural deep-sea pearls was banned worldwide in 1952.

The Chinese made an attempt to grow pearls 3000 years ago. Using a bamboo stick, they placed balls of silt into the shells of freshwater oysters, which they mixed with the sap of the camphor tree; they also placed mother-of-pearl balls. Such balls were fixed to the inside of the shell wall, and gradually the oyster covered them with mother-of-pearl.

At the turn of the 20th century, Japanese Kokichi Mikimoto became the inventor of pearl culture technology. This purposeful man made natural pearls accessible. His cultivation method has made Akoya saltwater pearls popular among celebrities. Jacqueline Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Keley, and Coco Chanel wore magnificent pearl jewelry.

modernity

Over time, the classic white pearl thread no longer suited fashionistas. American and European markets were interested in larger pearls, in a variety of colors, in a variety of shapes, at low prices. The demand for various types of pearls has given rise to a large freshwater pearl industry in China. Currently, China is a mass producer of several tens of tons of freshwater pearls, while Japanese Akoya pearls produce only a few thousand kilograms. According to many, Chinese pearls are inferior in quality to Japanese ones. But the quality gets better from year to year.

Chinese margaritarians develop experience and, having grown mussels in nets in rice fields, they know that they need to be turned over so that the pearls are sloping and have a smooth surface. Freshwater pearls will soon overtake the size of Australia’s largest South Sea pearls, as well as saltwater pearls from Burma, Australia, Thailand and Indonesia. Such pearls reach a diameter of 22 millimeters. Freshwater pearls have already surpassed the diameter of Tahitian pearls with a diameter of 14 millimeters. In terms of brilliance, freshwater pearls are already approaching sea pearls. Although calcium and minerals that affect the brightness of the shine are found in smaller quantities in fresh water than in sea water.

Environmental problems have a bad effect on water quality, because of this, pearl oysters die, and this factor, in turn, affects the increase in the cost of sea pearls. Freshwater pearls are getting better and better, and they can last longer than 150 years. The main difference between saltwater and freshwater pearls is not only quality, but also price. After Columbus discovered America, pearls became popular among the masses. Unfortunately, nowadays you can often find pearls of poor quality, which negatively affects the attitude towards pearls as a precious stone. In Japan, pearls have long been the national stone, so there is strict quality control. Once, at the Chamber of Commerce Square in Kobe, Mikimoto burned poor quality pearls in front of the people, declaring that such pearls were not worthy of beautiful women.

The nasonpearl company follows the best traditions of the pearl market.

Russia

In Russia, the first mentions of pearls can be found in the Collection of Svyatoslav, 1161 – where the author calls pearls a talisman for a long and happy life. However, in Russia, like nowhere else, pearls are shrouded in secrets and myths. It was believed that round or sloped pearls brought happiness, while uneven pearls, on the contrary, brought bad luck. Russian rivers were full of pearls with a special northern lights, but not of a round shape. Therefore, it was profitable for merchants to sell round overseas sea pearls, which were much more expensive than Crimean pearls, but supposedly brought “happiness”.

At the beginning of the 17th century in Moscow there was a special market for the sale of pearls – the pearl row. The affairs of this market were run by pearl merchants, the most famous of them being the Tver merchant Afanasy Nikitin. Apparently, it was this special specialization that gave birth to the merchant family of the Zhemchuzhnikovs, whose representatives received the nobility at the end of the 17th century.

In the Middle Ages, pearls were a favorite stone of the nobility for decorating clothes, women’s headdresses – kokoshniks, robes of church ministers and church utensils. By the 18th century, as in Europe, pearls became fashionable in Russia. Enterprising city women organize seminars for advanced peasant women from nearby villages on beading of small pearls with floral patterns. In Russian workshops of the 18th century, hundreds of skilled embroiderers worked in beadwork on linen, silk, brocade and velvet.

The Church had a monopoly on pearl mining in Russia. The number of pearls on a minister’s clothes determined his church hierarchy – the more pearls, the higher the rank. Until now, almost every Orthodox church has bowls and icons decorated with pearls. Many pearl jewelry has been preserved in the best museums in the country – the Armory Chamber in Moscow, the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, and the treasury of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad.

Peter the Great establishes secular power and proclaims himself emperor. So the church was deprived of many riches, including the monopoly on pearls. He issues a decree in 1721, according to which all pearls found must be handed over to the state treasury. Later, the decree is edited, and only large pearls are considered the property of the Emperor.

The last Russian Empress Alexandra, according to tradition, gave her daughters one diamond and one pearl on her birthday and name day, thereby collecting a dowry for their coming of age. Pearls practically disappeared in Russia, along with the world to which they belonged. 70 years of Soviet power caused irreparable damage not only to the culture of wearing jewelry, but also to the natural habitat of pearl mussels. Most salmon rivers and lakes – Don, Volga, Kem, Dvina, Ladoga, Onega – suffered irreparable environmental damage. At the moment, it is believed that fruitful mussels may have been preserved in protected areas of Karelia, the Kuril Islands and the Amur. According to some data, the approximate volume of living pearl-bearing specimens in Russia today is 30 million specimens.