Since Being Discovered Off The Coast Of Panama During The Mid-16th Century, La Peregrina Has Been One Of The World’s Most Treasured Pearls And Last Sold At Auction For $11 Million To An Anonymous Buyer
If you’re a big fan of how a simple string of pearls looks or have been embracing pearl jewelry a lot more lately, you may be interested in learning about one of the world’s most fascinating and treasured pearls, the La Peregrina.
The La Peregrina is a pear-shaped pearl first discovered off Panama’s coast during the mid-16th century.
While it’s unclear exactly who found the pearl, the administrator of the Panama colony, Don Pedro de Temez, took the pearl to Spain with him and gifted it to King Phillip II of Spain, who then gave it to his bride, Queen Mary I of England.
Queen Mary I can be seen wearing the stunning pearl as part of a brooch in a famous portrait of her from 1554. After she died, her sister, Queen Elizabeth I of England, returned the pearl to the Kingdom of Spain, where it remained one of the crown jewels for 250 years.
The pearl was famous for its shape and remarkable size, weighing approximately 202.24 grains and measuring approximately 17.35 to 17.90 x 25.50 mm. To summarize, it’s a very heavy, big pearl!
In the 1800s, the pearl was then owned by Napoleon’s brother, Joseph Bonaparte of France, when he ruled Spain for a few years. It eventually made itsit’s way to England after being sold to the Duke of Abercorn as a gift for his wife, Duchess Louisa Hamilton.
After being owned by several monarchs, the pearl then made its way to a very iconic figure in American film and history, actress Elizabeth Taylor.
In 1969, when the Hamilton family put the pearl up for auction at Sotheby’s London, actor Richard Burton bought it for his then-wife, Elizabeth Taylor, for $37,000 to give to her as a Valentine’s Day present.
Elizabeth and Richard cherished Le Peregrina for years, as she proudly wore it and treasured it.
fox17 – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Although she did her best to take good care of it, there was one instance where she thought she had lost the pearl and discovered that her dog had mistaken it for a chew toy and was gnawing on it!
“I just casually opened the puppy’s mouth, and inside his mouth was the most perfect pearl in the world,” Elizabeth wrote in her book, “Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry.
“It was, thank God, not scratched.”
Elizabeth commissioned Cartier to design a pearl necklace for her with the Le Peregrina as the star feature, and it remained one of her most beloved pieces of jewelry until she died in 2011.
Following Elizabeth’s passing later that year, the pearl was sold at auction through Christie’s for $11 million. The buyer was anonymous.
It’s fascinating to think of how that one very special pearl was passed down through history and consistently cherished.
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