Origin of Name :-
The name refers to a four-strand, graduated, natural,
pearl necklace that appeared at the Christie's Contemporary Jewelry and
Watches Sale, designated as Sale 7664, held on April 29, 2008, at
Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and
fetched a price of $61,000, within the pre-sale estimated range of
$50,000 to $80,000.
Characteristics of
the necklace
The necklace is a
"Princess" according to modern classification of pearl necklaces
4 row natural pearl necklace sold at Christie's
auction in Dubai in April 2008
The length of the necklace is given as 46.0 cm (18
inches). Due
to significant differences in length between the inner and outer rows in
such necklaces, it is assumed that the length 46.0 cm represents the
average length of the four rows, which according to modern
classification of pearl necklaces, based on their lengths, fall within the category of
"Princess" whose range of length varies from 18 - 20 inches (46 - 51
cm).
The number, sizes and
arrangement of pearls in the necklace
The number of graduated pearls in each of the four
rows of the necklace, starting from the inner strand to the outer strand
are respectively 129, 135, 141 and 143. This gives an arrangement of 64
- 1 - 64, 67 - 1 - 67, 70 - 1 - 70, 71 - 1 - 71 respectively, starting
from the inner strand to the outer strand. Number 1 in each row
represents the median largest pearl, that lie one below the other at the
lower end of the necklace, along its median line, that divides the
necklace into two equal halves. Starting from this median pearl, the
pearls in each row gradually decrease in size, and the smallest pearls
are situated towards the rear of the necklace. There are altogether 548
natural pearls in this necklace, ranging in size from 2.2 mm to 8.2 mm.
Each of the rows in the necklace are attached separately to the clasp
behind, that is mounted with single-cut diamonds.
The color, overtone,
luster and shape of the pearls in the necklace
The color of the pearls in the necklace are not
stated in the Christie's webpage dedicated to this necklace, but an
examination of the photograph of the necklace shows that almost all the
pearls have the same hue and tone of colors, which appears to be
yellowish-white. In all probability, white appears to be the main body
color of these natural saltwater pearls, and yellow the overtone color,
that gives the yellowish-white appearance. The luster of the pearls are
also excellent, in keeping with the saltwater origin of the pearls. The
color, overtones, iridescence and luster of a pearl are dependant on the
thickness of the nacre, which in this case is optimum given the natural
origins of the pearls. Accordingly, all these characteristics are also
at the optimum level in these pearls.
The shapes of the pearls appear to be spherical and
near-spherical, though some occasional button-shape pearls could also be
found.
The natural
provenance of the pearls are certified by the Gem & Pearl Testing
Laboratory of Bahrain
The natural provenance of the pearls in the necklace
are certified by the Gem & Pearl Testing Laboratory of Bahrain. Testing
for the natural provenance of pearls is a routine procedure, practiced
by most of these laboratories, set up in the former natural pearl
producing Gulf Countries, that by law deal only in natural pearls, and
where the sale of cultured pearls, manipulated by human intervention is
banned. The laboratory report issued in respect of this necklace, dated
June 19 2004, bearing No. 16532, states that the pearls are
entirely natural. Thus, even though the sale of the necklace took place
in April 2008, the laboratory report had been issued actually 4 years
earlier in June 2004, probably at the time the anonymous owner of the
necklace purchased it.
History of the
Necklace
The use of single-cut
diamonds on the clasp may point to the antiquity of the necklace, but
the evidence is not conclusive
Nothing is known of the historical provenance of the
necklace, its probable period of origin, the original owners of the
necklace, and the possible origin of the pearls in the necklace. The use
of single-cut diamonds in the clasp may give an indication as to its
antiquity, as the single-cut was developed in the late 1300s. However,
the cut persisted even after the development of more sophisticated
diamond cuts, such as Rose and Briolette cuts in the 1500s, the Old Mine
cut in the 1700s, the Old European cut in the 1800s, and the Modern
Brilliant cut in 1919. Thus the use of single cut diamonds in the clasp
may not give a clear-cut evidence for its antiquity.
The size and color of
the pearls give an indication as to their probable source
The Persian Gulf
is a probable source of the pearls
The size and color of the pearls may give an
indication as to the species of pearl oyster from which the pearls most
probably originated, and from the geographic range of the oyster the
possible source of the pearls may be predicted. The range of size of the
graduated pearls from 2.2 mm to 8.2 mm, agrees with the range of size of
pearls produced by the most prolific pearl-producer in ancient times,
Pinctada radiata, whose natural habitat was the Persian Gulf, the Red
Sea and the Gulf of Mannar. White and yellow are the common colors of
these pearls, with overtone colors of silver, cream and pink. Ceylon
pearls from the Gulf of Mannar were renowned for their white color with
silver overtones - silvery-white color. Pearls with yellowish hue were
rare among Ceylon pearls. Persian Gulf pearls originating from Bahrain
and other Gulf countries also had the desirable silvery-white
colors, but pearls of yellowish hue were more common. The pearls in this
necklace appear to have the yellowish hue, and are most probably Persian
Gulf pearls. However, it is difficult to pin-point a period for the
origin of these pearls, as pearling activities in the Persian Gulf,
continued until the early 20th-century, when the production of cultured
pearls by the Japanese gave the final death blow to the industry.
Another probable
source of the pearls is Venezuela
Another oyster species that produces pearls of the
same range of size having white and yellow colors, is the Atlantic pearl
oyster, Pinctada imbricata, previously thought to be a different species
from Pinctada radiata, but now believed to belong to the same species.
These pearls known as "Venezuelan pearls" was first discovered by
Christopher Columbus in 1498 from the waters off the Island of Cubagua,
and was also subsequently found off the coast of Colombia. Its natural
geographic range is the western Atlantic from Bermuda and Florida to
Brazil, and includes the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. The Spanish
set up the town of New Cadiz in the Island of Cubagua, from where the
pearling activities of Venezuela were coordinated. After intensive
harvesting of pearl oysters from the lucrative pearl banks off the
Islands of Cubagua - which in the period 1513 to 1530 alone, was
estimated to have produced 118 million pearls - around the year 1650,
the pearl oyster resources seem to have been totally exhausted and the
pearl harvesting industry was abandoned by the Spanish. Thus if the
pearls in the four-row necklace originated in Venezuela, it must have
been during the period 1500 to 1650.
The significance of
the date on the report issued by the Gem & Pearl Testing Laboratory of
Bahrain
Even though the four-row pearl necklace was put up
for sale at the Christie's auction held in Dubai, on April 29, 2008,
report No. 16532 issued by the Gem & Pearl Testing Laboratory of Bahrain
that accompanied the pearl necklace, authenticating its natural
provenance, was dated June 19, 2004. The discrepancy in the dates may
have some significance, as whoever who owned the pearl necklace, appears
to have got it tested in the year 2004, either before or
after purchasing it, to make sure of its natural provenance, or having
owned the necklace for a long time got it tested in 2004, with the
intention of selling it, as required by the law, but his intention
eventually materialized only in 2008. Given the fact that the testing
was done by a laboratory in Bahrain in 2004, seem to suggest that the
owner of the four-row necklace was a national of Bahrain, or another
neighboring Gulf country.
You are welcome to discuss this
post/related topics with Dr Shihaan and other experts from around the
world in our
FORUMS (forums.internetstones.com)
Related :-
1)
Pearl of Kuwait
External Links :-
1) A Four-Row Natural Pearl Necklace - Christie's
Contemporary Jewelry and Watches Sale catalogue. Sale No. 7664, Lot No.
163.
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?pos=3&intObjectID=5064289&sid=
References :-
1) A Four-Row Natural Pearl Necklace - Christie's
Contemporary Jewelry and Watches Sale catalogue. Sale No. 7664, Lot No.
163. www.christies.com
2) The Gogibus Pearl - www.internetstones.com
3) The Pearl of Kuwait -
www.internetstones.com
