Famous pearls
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
La Peregrina 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.
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.
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.
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 was sold to Tiffany, from which it may have been probably sold in Europe to Cartier. It ultimately ended up in the collection of Empress Eugénie of France around 1857.
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".
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.
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.
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