The World’s Priciest Pearls: Jewels Owned by Marie Antoinette, Elizabeth Taylor and More Stunning Sea Stones
Diamonds may be forever, but pearls are just as rare — look no further than these stunning sea stones, which are worth millions.
The lustrous gems, which are procured from the mouths of mollusks, make up some of the world’s most expensive jewelry. Pearls have been preferred by royalty (Marie Antoinette, Queen Mary and the Duchess of Windsor, to name a few) and movie stars alike: Elizabeth Taylor, known for her vast collection of jewels, owned the one of the rarest stones in the world until her death in 2011.
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Ahead, WWD ranks the world’s priciest pearls.
Marie Antoinette’s Pearl Pendant, $36 Million
Much of Marie Antoinette’s jewelry went missing during the French revolution. However, a number of pieces later resurfaced and were auctioned off by Sotheby’s in 2018. One of the Queen’s jeweled pendants, which features a large natural pearl, fetched $36 million at auction, breaking a world record for the stone.
La Peregrina Pearl, $11 Million
One of Elizabeth Taylor’s most legendary pieces of jewelry was the La Peregrina pearl. The massive pear-shaped pendant, which was in the Spanish royal family for more than 250 years, weighs 55.95 carats. Worn by several Spanish queens and the Bonapartes of France, the pearl was the largest in the world upon its discovery in the 16th century. In 1969, the sea stone was sold at Sotheby’s, with the buyer being none other than Taylor’s then-husband, actor Richard Burton.
Burton presented it to Taylor as a Valentine’s Day gift during their first marriage. She tapped Cartier to create an intricate two-strand mounting comprising 56 natural pearls, four cultured pearls and eight diamond and ruby plaques set in platinum and gold. The pendant is detachable, allowing it to also be worn as a brooch.
The necklace was included in Taylor’s Christie’s sale in 2011, fetching $11 million. This makes it the most expensive pearl necklace sold at auction.
Seven-Strand Natural Pearl Necklace, $9 Million
Sold by Christie’s in 2013, this extravagant 35-inch collar is strung with over 200 pearls, held together by an old mine-cut diamond bar clasp.
Chinese Imperial Pearl Court Necklace (Chaozhu), $8.7 Million
In 2010, Sotheby’s auctioned off a historic strand featuring 108 Eastern pearls along with coral, turquoise and lapis lazuli beads. Dating back to the 18th century, it’s thought that the necklace was worn by Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing dynasty, who ruled China from 1722 to 1735. In a portrait of the Emperor dressed in court attire, he appears to wear the same exact piece. Traditionally referred to as chaozhu, high-ranking civil and military officials sported similar necklaces as part of their regalia.
The Baroda Pearls, $7.1 Million
A two-strand pearl necklace auctioned off by Christie’s in 2007 was once owned by the Gaekwad dynasty of India, who resided in the capital of Baroda. Commissioned by Maharaja Khanderao Gaekwad during his reign in the late 1800s, the original necklace was made up of seven strands.
The piece was eventually passed down to Maharaja Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad, who ruled from 1939 to 1968. He made headlines in 1943 for marrying his second wife, Sita Devi, who was compared to King Edward VIII’s controversial spouse, Wallis Simpson. Upon their nuptials, Devi inherited the precious pearls as part of the family’s lavish gem collection. Like Elizabeth Taylor, she amassed a large trove of jewelry throughout her life, though much of it was eventually sold. The Baroda Pearls, however, remained in the royal treasury.
It’s unclear exactly how Christie’s acquired the necklace, which is strung with 68 natural pearls, but it fetched just over $7 million as part of a suite including a matching ring, brooch and earrings.
The Cowdray Pearls, $5.2 Million
The Cowdray black pearl necklace, formerly owned by Lady Pearson, the Viscountess Cowdray, was initially sold at a 1937 Sotheby’s auction following her death. It was resold at Christie’s for $3 million in 2012 before Sotheby’s put it on the block once more in 2015, where it achieved $5.2 million. Featuring 42 pearls and a diamond-encrusted clasp, the Cartier piece was auctioned off with a set of matching earrings.
The Duchess of Windsor’s Pearl Necklace and Pendant, $4.8 Million
Given that her husband abdicated the throne, Wallis Simpson didn’t inherit many royal jewels. The Duchess of Windsor, however, was gifted a Cartier pearl collar that once belonged to Queen Mary. Given to Her Majesty by King George V in 1926, the necklace is adorned with 28 natural pearls and includes a clasp set with 24 diamonds.
Simpson wore the necklace on multiple occasions, frequently adding on a separate pear-shaped pearl pendant that she purchased from jeweler Olga Tritt in 1948. After her death in 1986, the Duchess’ jewelry was auctioned at Sotheby’s for a total of $45 million. The pearl necklace and pendant were purchased by Kelly Klein, wife of fashion designer Calvin Klein.
In 2007, both pieces were put back up for auction by Sotheby’s, realizing a total of nearly $5 million.
Marie Antoinette’s Three-Strand Pearl Necklace, $2.2 Million
Marie Thérèse, the only surviving child of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, received many of the Queen’s jewels after she was exiled to Austria. She eventually bequeathed them to her niece, the Duchess of Parma. They were then passed down through the royal House of Bourbon-Parma.
Among the pieces in the Bourbon-Parma collection included a three-strand pearl necklace with a diamond clasp and the aforementioned pearl pendant. At auction, the last Queen of France’s necklace achieved $2.2 million.
World’s Most Expensive Pearl Necklaces: Gems Owned by Elizabeth Taylor, Marie Antoinette & More [PHOTOS]
Launch Gallery: World's Most Expensive Pearl Necklaces: Gems Owned by Elizabeth Taylor, Marie Antoinette & More [PHOTOS]
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