Origin of name
The 575-carat natural saltwater pearl with an ancient historical provenance
dating back a thousand years to the 11th century A.D. and once owned by
Chinese, Persian and Mongolian emperors, was eventually given as a gift to
Marco Polo, the famous Venetian traveler and adventurer, by the Mongol
Emperor Kublai Khan, the grandson of the mighty conqueror Genghis Khan.
Marco Polo returned to Venice in 1295, with the pearl and other precious
stones lavished upon him by the great Kublai Khan. After the death of Marco
Polo in 1324, the course taken by the celebrated pearl is unclear, but the
pearl undoubtedly remained in Europe, perhaps passing through the hands of
some of the ruling monarchies of Europe, but eventually came into the
possession of an aristocratic family of Austria, the Arco-Valleys, with whom
it remained during the course of the 20th century, and from whom the pearl
gets its name.
Characteristics of the Pearl
The Arco-Valley Pearl, which is a baroque pearl having an irregular shape,
is classified as a natural blister pearl. A blister pearl grows outside the
mantle tissue, between the mantle and the shell of the bivalve mollusk, such
as a clam, oyster or mussel, and usually grows attached to the shell. The
dimensions of the pearl are 79 x 41 x 34 mm, and the pearl has a weight of
575 carats equivalent to 2,300 grains (1 carat = 4 grains). It is the second
largest natural pearl in the world, after the 6.1 kg (30,500 carats)
non-nacreous pearl, the "Pearl of Allah" the world's largest, which is
believed to have grown inside a giant clam. The Arco-Valley Pearl with a
length of 7.9 cm (3.1 ins) is also quite a large pearl, and most probably
would have grown inside a species of clam. The pearl has a white color with
a touch of blue, and has pink and cream overtones on its sides. It is a
nacreous pearl with its characteristic iridescence causing the scattering of
different colors of light.
Examination of the pearl by experts have revealed that it has been drilled
three times. The positioning of the drill holes show that perhaps it might
have been used as a jewel in a woman's tiara, to fit a crown or turban of a
Persian king or to go with a ceremonial mandarin suit of a Chinese
emperor. The drill holes have now been filled up and the pearl restored to
its original shape. Being a pearl of Chinese origin, the pearl probably
would have grown in the still waters of a lagoon or coral reef in the
Pacific, on the Chinese coast.
Pearls the most ancient gemstone known in the
history of mankind
Pearls are the only gemstones that had been known and appreciated by mankind
longer than any other gemstone in the world, and the only gemstone produced biologically
by living organisms. They have been prized for their beauty and rarity for
more than 4,000 years. Archeological evidences abound on the usage of pearls
during the most ancient civilizations of the world, such as those of
Mesopotamia, Egypt, ancient China and India, ancient American civilizations,
the Greek and the Roman empires, the Persian, Arab and Turkish empires of
the Middle East, The Mogul empire of India, and all other cultures and
civilizations throughout recorded history. Thus some of the famous pearls
known to us have a very ancient provenance. The oldest known pearl in the
world is the "Jomon Pearl" which dates back to more than 5,500 years, and
named after a period in Japanese history known as the Jomon Era which lasted
from about 10,000 B.C. to 300 B.C. If the legend of Lao Tzu is correct,
which according to scientific evidence is untenable, the "Pearl of Lao Tzu"
aka the "Pearl of Allah" is about 2,500 years old. Some of the pearls of the
16th and 17th centuries are, the Gogibus Pearl, Pearl of Asia, the La
Peregrina and La Pellegrina. Thus the "Arco Valley Pearl" dating back to the
11th century A.D. is also one of the most historic pearls known to
mankind.
In a geological time-scale pearls are the
youngest gemstones
Even though pearls are the most ancient gemstone known and used by mankind,
in a geological time scale they are the most youngest. Diamonds, sapphires
and rubies are over 1-2 billion years old, emeralds between 50-100 million
years old, but the most ancient pearls may be only a few thousand years old.
This is because of the biological origin of pearls taking just a few years
for the pearl to be fully formed. Most of the cultured pearls today attain
their maximum size from 8-10 months for fresh water pearls to 2-3 years for
Akoya pearls. Only a few species of bivalve mollusks such as giant clams
which have the potential for forming pearls and have a fairly extended life
span of over a hundred years, may form a pearl that grow to their full
potential after several decades. Only pearls that were harvested and
preserved by human intervention have survived over the years and are found
in the collections of private individuals and museums. In the natural
condition pearls that are not harvested might remain at the bottom of the
ocean, the calcareous shells and the pearls being eventually incorporated
into the substratum of coral reefs and sedimentary rocks.
The extreme rarity and value of natural pearls.
Cartier acquired its New York Headquarters in 1917, in exchange for a
double-stranded natural pearl necklace.
Out of about 8,000 different species of bivalve mollusks that occur in
nature, only about 20 species are capable of producing pearls on a
consistent basis. Out of these select number of species, in the natural
state only a very small percentage of individual mollusks from each species
would ever produce a pearl at all. In some species of pearl oysters it has
been estimated that only about 1 in 40 oysters develop pearls, which is
equivalent to 2.5%. Of these only a few pearls will attain the desirable
size, shape and color, and out of this only a small fraction will be
harvested by humans. This explains the extreme rarity of natural gem-quality
pearls of desirable characteristics. It has been estimated that under
natural conditions only one in ten thousand oysters will produce a
gem-quality pearl. In other words the probability of any single pearl
harvested, harboring a gem-quality pearl is 0.0001 !!! Thus the high value of
natural pearls is a function of both its beauty and rarity. Natural pearls
had been considered as gemstone of great value since ancient times. It would
be interesting to note that Pierre Cartier, the grandson of the founder of
the company Cartier's, Louis-Francois Cartier, purchased the 653, Fifth
Avenue, Neo-Renaissance Mansion of Morton Freeman Plant (son of railroad
tycoon Henry B. Plant), where he set up Cartier's New York headquarters in
1917, in exchange for $100 in cash and a double-stranded natural pearl
necklace valued at the time at $1 million !!!
The irregular shape of the Arco Valley Pearl
The pearl is the only gemstone that grows inside a living organism, a
bivalve mollusk such as oysters, mussels and clams. Pearls are formed within
the bivalve mollusk when an irritant such as a parasite, a food particle, or
waste material lodges itself in the mantle tissue or gonads of the mollusk,
triggering a reaction known as encystation, in which the epithelial cells
secrete an organic-inorganic material known as nacre, which is deposited in
layers around the irritant forming the pearl. Thus a pearl is actually a
defensive response by the mollusk to an irritant, and is built around an
irritant. As the deposition of nacre takes place it tends to maintain the
original shape of the irritant. If the irritant was originally irregular in
shape as in the Arco Valley Pearl, the final shape of the pearl would also
be irregular, and is known as a baroque pearl. Generally most pearls tend to
be irregular as the irritants invariably were also irregular. However, some
pearls tend to have a spherical, oval or drop-shape, as the original
irritant might have had a somewhat similar shape. Shifting of a pearl during
its growth can also result in an irregular shaped pearl.
History of the Arco Valley Pearl
Genghis Khan the original owner of the Arco
Valley Pearl ?
The recorded history of the Arco Valley Pearl begin with Kublai Khan
(1215-1294), the great Mongol emperor and conqueror, the grandson of the
mighty Genghis Khan the great nomadic Mongol warrior. But, it is believed
that Kublai Khan inherited the enormous pearl from his grandfather Genghis
Khan, who was said to be its original owner.
Genghis Khan (1162-1227) subjugated a vast extent of lands extending from
the Pacific coast of China to the Adriatic Sea, causing not only the
downfall of empires such as the Khwarezm empire, the Abbasid Caliphate and
the Chin empire of northern China, but also causing massacres of large
populations and destruction of the hallmarks of civilized human settlements,
such as centers of learning and agricultural and irrigation schemes.
Massacre of innocent populations was used by him as a weapon to instill fear
and compliance on the people he subjugated. His forces also plundered the
wealth of the lands they captured, and perhaps would have included
collections of crown jewels belonging to the monarchies he subjugated. The
Arco Valley Pearl that came into his possession, perhaps would have come
from the crown treasury in one of the cities of the Khwarezm empire
which he captured and devastated such as Bukhara, Samarkand, Herat,
Tus or Neyshapur. Another possible way of how the Arco Valley Pearl might
have come into the possession of Genghis Khan was that the pearl might have
been actually harvested by one of the Chinese
subjects either during his period of rule, or the rule of one of his Chinese
predecessors, off the coast of China, in the Pacific ocean, and subsequently
surrendered to him or his predecessor.
It was also possible that the Arco Valley Pearl, actually fell into
the hands of Hulegu Khan (1217 to 1265), the grandson of Genghis Khan and
brother of Kublai Khan, when he besieged and captured Baghdad the capital
city of the Abbasid Caliphate in 1258.
Kublai Khan the next reputed owner of the
Arco Valley Pearl
Kublai Khan a grandson of Genghis Khan through his fourth son Tolui was one
of the most enlightened of the Mongol emperors, who were generally barbaric,
ruthless and illiterate nomadic tribal rulers who subjugated people with the
power of the sword. Unlike his predecessors who massacred the conquered and
destroyed civilizations, Kublai Khan always granted clemency towards the
conquered and made them partners in the rebuilding of their lives. Kublai
Khan's greatest achievement was the re-establishment of the unity of China,
which had been divided since the end of the T'ang dynasty. He set up his
capital at Beijing, which during his time was known as the city of Ta-tu,
the great capital. Kublai recognized the superiority of Chinese thought and
philosophy and gathered round him a group of trustworthy Confucian advisers,
with whose help he was able to build on the foundations of the brilliant
civilization developed by the preceding Sung dynasty. He appointed Chinese
civil servants for the administration of his vast empire, but preferred the
appointment of foreigners to Chinese, to key positions, such as
governors of provinces. Marco Polo was one such foreigner who was appointed
as a governor.
Marco Polo's overland journey to China, and
his services to Kublai Khan
Marco Polo's father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo wound up their business in the
Venetian quarter of Constantinople and re-located to the Crimea, from where
they moved eastwards to Bukhara, and then further eastwards to Mongolia ,
and ended their journey in 1265 in Kublai Khan's summer residence at Shangdu
(Xanadu). The Polos were warmly received by Kublai Khan who hosted them in
his palace. Eventually the Polos returned to the west as ambassadors of
Kublai Khan, carrying letters to the Pope requesting him to send one hundred
intelligent men, acquainted with the seven arts, to impart knowledge to his
people. They also carried gifts from the emperor and were asked by Kublai
Khan to bring back oil from the lamp burning at the Holy Sepulchure in
Jerusalem. In 1271, the Polos returned to the Mongol court, but was
accompanied by the young Marco Polo who was just 17 years old. The route
taken on their return journey was Acre (Israel), Ayas (SE Turkey), Erzurum
(eastern Turkey), Tabriz (northern Iran), Hormuz (Persian Gulf), Khorasan
(eastern Iran), Badakshan (Afghanistan), Pamirs (central Asian highlands),
Kashi (Uygur Autonomous Region in Xinjiang, China), Yarkant, Hotan,
Che'erchen, Shazhou, Gansu, Ningxia, and Shangdu. The Polos handed over the
Papal letters and the sacred oil to Kublai Khan at his court in 1275.
The young Marco Polo was around 20 years when he reached Cathay (North
China). He could then speak some of the languages used in East Asia, such as
Turkish in the Coman dialect spoken by the Mongols, Arabized Persian, Ulghur
and Mongol. Kublai Khan was very impressed by Young Marco Polo's accounts of
his travels in strange countries, and always sent him on fact finding
missions to distant parts of his empire, such as Yunnan in southwestern
China, Hangzhou in southeasten China, and Tagaung in Myanmar, Burma. Marco
Polo, built up a close relationship with Kublai Khan, and earned his
confidence and respect and was appointed as the governor of one of the
wealthiest trading cities of China, Hangzhou, in which post he served with
great skill and distinction, creating a rapport between the
emperor and his subjects. Kublai Khan appointed Marco Polo as a
trusted emissary, and used his diplomatic skills on various hazardous
assignments both within China and Mongolia, and other regions of his vast
empire.
Kublai Khan lavishes expensive gifts on Marco
Polo including the Arco Valley Pearl. Marco Polo's return journey to Venice
Marco Polo's services became so indispensable to the mighty Khan, that he
refused to release him in spite of repeated requests, in order that he could return to his native Venice. But
eventually in 1292, two years before his death, Kublai Khan, granted him
permission to leave, and as his last assignment for his emperor, Marco Polo
agreed to accompany a Mongol princess who was to be sent to Persia to become
the consort of Arghun Khan. Kublai Khan compensated Marco Polo, his father
and uncle for loyal services to his empire, by showering them with valuables
in the form of gold, silver and precious stones, which included the enormous
575-carat pearl that came to be known a the Arco Valley Pearl.
Marco Polo left China in a fleet of 14 ships, with the Princess and some 600
courtiers and sailors. The vessels touched at Vietnam, the Malay peninsula,
and Sumatra, where they remained for 5 months to avoid the monsoon storms.
They then set off from Sumatra and passing the Nicobar islands touched in
Sri Lanka (Seilan or Ceylon). Then they followed the west coast of India and
finally reached Hormuz, where the ships anchored, and the delegation
proceeded on land to Khorasan, and handed over the Princess to Mahmud Ghazan,
the son of Arghun Khan, who had passed away in 1291.
Marco Polo is robbed after he sets foot on
Christian territory in Byzantine
The Polos then left Persia by land to Europe. They moved to Tabriz and
stayed for some time, and then left the Mongol dominions and crossed over to
the Byzantine lands, a Christian territory where at Trebizond in what
is now Turkey, they were robbed of most of their hard-won earnings. It
appears that the Arco Valley Pearl and other precious stones given by Kublai
Khan, had not been part of the lost possessions of the Polos. They then reached
Constantinople and eventually Venice in 1295, after being away for over 25
years.
Marco Polo reaches Venice and is warmly
welcomed by its people
When Marco Polo, Niccolo and Maffeo returned to Venice, their relatives,
friends and neighbors were pleasantly surprised to see them alive, as during
their prolonged absence of almost 25 years they were considered to have
passed away, possibly meeting their untimely death at the hands of armed
highway robbers, or wild animals, or extremes of weather conditions or merely by
starvation. The people of Venice received them warmly and were curious and
inquisitive to find out more information about distant lands they had
visited, their people
and their cultures. But, as usual there were also the skeptics who refused
to believe stories about his life in the distant palaces of the great Mongol
king, Kublai Khan, in spite of the fact that he had brought along a Mongol
Tartar slave with him, and could speak several alien languages. To satisfy
the curiosity of the people of Venice, Marco Polo was determined to put down
his experiences of 25 years in writing, but was severely handicapped because
of his poor knowledge of the Venetian and or Franco-Italian languages.
Marcolo Polo compiles his travelogue "Il
Milione" while imprisoned in Genoa
Fortunately around this time Marco Polo was taken prisoner by the Genoese,
following a skirmish with them in the Mediterranean. He was then imprisoned
in Genoa, where he made friends with a fellow prisoner from Pisa,
Rustichello, who was a well known writer. Marco Polo decided that this was
the best opportunity for him to put down his memoirs in writing, and sought
the services of his friend Rustichello, who readily agreed. Marco Polo
dictated his tale to Rustichello, who put it down in writing in the
Franco-Italian language, a composite language commonly used in Europe in the
13th and 14th centuries. The travelogue was initially titled "Divisament
dou Monde" (Description of the World), but subsequently changed
to "Il Milione" (the millions). Marco Polo and Rustichello were
released from prison, and the book that was compiled while in prison, became
an instant success, and manuscripts of the book spread throughout Italy. The
book was subsequently translated into English and was titled "The Travels
of Marco Polo" In his book Marco Polo recalls being forced to show his
skeptical friends evidences of his claims, by revealing the many precious
stones lavished upon him by Kublai Khan, which probably included the massive
Arco Valley Pearl.
History of the Arco Valley Pearl after Marco
Polo
Marco Polo died in the year 1324, at the age of 70 years. After his death
the history of the Arco Valley Pearl is uncertain. It is said that in the
14th century the wearing of pearls was strictly controlled, the common
people as well as many ranks and professions being banned from wearing them.
Towards the latter part of his life Marco Polo was reported to have led a
quiet existence, managing a not too conspicuous fortune. He freed his Tartar
slave who accompanied him on his return journey from China. It was quite
possible that Marco Polo disposed of the Arco Valley Pearl and other
precious stones before his death, as the resources he accumulated in China
begin to dwindle. In all probability the pearl would have been acquired, by
a member of a monarchy or an aristocratic family who appeared to have had
exclusive rights to adorn such precious ornaments. It should be noted that
the tell-tale marks of one set of drill holes on the pearl reveal, that it
probably would have been used as a jewel in a tiara or a crown. This in all
probability must have happened after the arrival of the pearl in Europe.
However, towards the end of the 19th century, the pearl passed into the
possession of the Arco-Valley family of Austria and Bavaria, in whose
custody it remained for a greater part of the 20th century, and with whose
name the pearl became synonymous. The most notorious of the Arco-Valleys was
the Bavarian count Anton Graf von Arco-Valley, who was involved in the
assassination of the Bavarian socialist leader Kurt Eisner in February 1919,
an event celebrated by the Nazis. Arco Valley was not given the death
sentence, but was given a prison term of 5 years at Landsberg prison, for
his part in the murder. It is said that when Anton Graf von Arco-Valley
vacated his cell in the Landsberg prison, the next occupant of the cell was
none other than the young Adolph Hitler.
The Arco-Valley Pearl re-surfaces in Abu
Dhabi in 2007 and goes under the hammer at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi
"Pearl Evening" organized to give a boost for
the revival of the 7,000-year old Gulf pearl industry
The 575-carat baroque shaped Arco-Valley Pearl re-surfaced again in May
2007, at Abu Dhabi, and was due to go under the hammer at an auction
organized by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The auction was
due to be the highlight of a larger "Pearl Evening" that also included a
gala dinner and entertainment. The main aim of this unique event was to set
the stage for the revival of the virtually defunct regional pearl industry,
which was neglected and ceased to exist, after the discovery of oil in the
Gulf in the 1930s. The pearl industry of the Gulf was said to be over 7,000
years old, the pearls being harvested from the seabed by pearl divers,
for whom it became a source of sustenance. It was the discovery of black
gold that spelt disaster for the ancient industry. The organization of the
"Pearl Evening" it was believed would remind the people of the Gulf of their
ancient heritage, and give a much-needed boost for its revival.
Khaled al-Sayeg
the driving force behind the attempt to revive the pearl industry in the
Gulf
Khaled al Sayeg a renowned pearl trader from the region, and the live wire
behind the event and the attempt at revival of the pearl industry, said,
"Pearls are a real asset and good investment as they provide a store house
of value. Cyclical changes play an important role in the pearl market, and
the recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in them. We aim to
provide an opportunity for pearl collectors and investors to interact
closely. We need everyone's support to make this event a success."
The event was also supported by related organizations, such as the Dubai
Central Laboratory, The Luxury Marketing Council, Emirates Palace Hotel and
the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. Lifestyle Auctions, the emirate based
auction house, was commissioned to oversea the auction process, whose
auctioneer Paul Fletcher was expected to conduct the auction.
The auction was due to take place on May 3,
2007, at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace
All the 24 auction lots were pearls. some set and some loose, and of varying
sizes, small, medium and large sizes. One of the pearls was extraordinarily
large. This was the 575-carat baroque shaped Arco-Valley Pearl. Pre-sale
interest in the auction was very intense. A lot of interest had been shown
on the Arco-Valley Pearl by several rich families of both Abu Dhabi and
Dubai. According to Paul Fletcher, there had been a surge of inquiries from
the agents of China's growing rank of billionaires, and most of them were
interested in seeing the pearl returned to its original home, and considered
it as one of China's national treasures. The pearl that was brought to Abu
Dhabi by Khaled al Sayeg and his partner, just two months before the
date of the auction, was privately owned by an anonymous collector,
and was insured for $5 million, and had a pre-sale estimate of $8 million
placed on it, based on its size, color, weight, exclusivity, history, and
sale prices realized for similar pearls in the past. The bidding process was
due to take place on May 3, 2007, at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace, and
arrangements were to be made for simultaneous bidding over the internet from
the leisure of the homes of prospective bidders. The pearl was certified as
a genuine natural pearl by the Dubai Central Laboratory, the only ISO
9001:2000 certified gem testing laboratory in the Middle East.
Proceeds from the sale to fund a Gulf Pearl
Traveling Museum
It was expected that at least around 400 people from a range of countries
involved in the international pearl trade, such as the Emirates, other Gulf
countries, China, Japan, India, Britain, the United States and Tahiti would
attend the auction.
The profits realized from the proceeds of the sale would go towards
assisting children's and humanitarian organizations. Part of the proceeds
would also be used for funding a Gulf Pearl traveling museum in order to
revive interest in the virtually defunct regional pearl industry.
The auctioned postponed due to a sudden death
in the Emirates royal family
The sudden death in a car crash on Tuesday, May 1st, 2007, of Sheik Saeed bin Nahyan bin Mubarak al-Nahyan, the son of the Emirate's education and
science minister Sheik Nahyan bin Mubarak al-Nahyan, led to the postponement
of the auction just hours before the bidding was due to start on Thursday,
May 3, 2007. According to Paul Fletcher, the auctioneer of Lifestyle
Auctions, "the organizers felt it was inappropriate to celebrate a revival
of the pearl trade at the time of mourning in the royal family and in the
Emirates."
The auction is re-scheduled for November
2007, as part of a bigger international event, the first international pearl
convention
The postponed auction was re-scheduled from November 18th to 22nd, 2007, and
re-organized as part of a bigger international event, the First
International Pearl Convention, co-hosted by the cities of Abu Dhabi and
Dubai, and organized by the pearl revival committee, whose chairman was
Khaled al-Sayeg. This time Souq.com, the leading online auction site in the
UAE and a member of the Maktoob group of companies, was appointed as the
official auctioneer for the first International Pearl Convention. Programs
that were lined up for this unique international event held under the
patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Supreme Chairperson
of the Family Welfare Foundation, and Chairperson of the General Women's
Union of the UAE, included Seminars and Summits, and other innovative
programs such as Pearl Theatre, Pearl Concert, Pearl Classes, Arabia Pearl
Exhibition, Cultured Pearl Display, and Pearl Fashion. A key aspect of the
convention was the auction of a collection of pearls that included the
world's largest natural pearl the 575-carat Arco-Valley Pearl, along with
some of the world's rarest and most sought after pearls, such as "the Dream
Pearls of Cooch Behar"; WC2A - Him, 980 grains; WC2B - Her, 700 grains;
"Worm" - 400 grains; 65mm long, 2591 "Rosebud" - 214grains; 30mm, 2592
"Golden Dome Oriental" - 51 grains; 13mm, "Oriental Necklace" two lines,
10.4 mm - 5.4 mm; "18th-century Button Pearl Gold Jewelry" and "Sarnii Chulu"
- "Moonstone" - 284.93 carats, with dimensions of 59.1 x 40.0 x 29.2 mm.
120 delegates from 30 pearling nations congregated at the Armed Officers'
Club in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, to take part in the First
International Pearl Convention. The convention was opened by HH Shaikha Mai
bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Assistant Under-secretary for the Sector of
Culture and Heritage in Bahrain's Ministry of Information. The chief guest
of the occasion was Dr. Gaitone Cavalieri, president of the CIBJO. The
five-day convention included 10 technical seminars, a daylong summit, two
study tours, and a host of networking opportunities. The delegates were
flown to the ancient pearl island of Delma, 200 km northwest of Abu Dhabi,
with a pearling tradition of thousands of years, in order to re-kindle the
images of pearling as it was in ancient times. They were also taken to Dubai
on the 5th day of the convention to visit the world famous National Bank of
Dubai's Pearl Museum and the Dubai Central Laboratory, the modern
state-of-the-art gem testing laboratory in the Middle East.
The fate of the Arco-Valley Pearl ?
The outcome of the much-awaited pearl auction at this convention, especially
the 575-carat Arco-Valley Pearl is not known. Attempts to discover the fate
of the renowned pearl after this much publicized event had proved futile. A
thorough search of the world wide web for any information on the sale of the
Arco Valley Pearl during this International Pearl Convention, held between
November 18 to 22, 2007, did not yield any fruitful results. It is not known
whether the renowned pearl was withdrawn from the auction as it failed to
realize its reserve price. The present whereabouts of the pearl are unknown.
Readers who may have more information about the fate of the Arco-Valley
Pearl, are kindly requested to provide same as comments to this page.
Related
Pearl of
Allah
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References
1.Mother of all pearls : A very precious gem - The
Independent, Friday 4 May, 2007 - www.independent.co.uk
2.Kublai
Khan's pearl up for grabs - Emmanuel Landais, Staff Reporter, Gulf News,
April 25, 2007.
3.Pearls - Website of Shane Co.
4.Royal
family death postpones auction of world's largest natural pearl on
market - International Herald Tribune, May 3, 2007.
5.First IPC Report -
www.pearlonline.net
6.Bringing pearl industry back into focus
- Mariam M. Al Serkal, Gulf News, November 2, 2007.
7.Encyclopaedia
Britannica - 2006
