Pearl-Guide.com - Cultured Pearl information and Pearl Forums

Google Custom Search
Pearl-Guide.com
The Forum
About Us
News and Events
Cultured Pearls
Cultured Pearls
Saltwater Pearls
Freshwater Pearls
Akoya Pearls
Tahitian Pearls
South Sea Pearls
Cortez Pearls
Keshi Pearls
Mabe Pearls
Natural Pearls
Natural Pearls
Conch Pearls
Melo Melo Pearls
Abalone Pearls
Scallop Pearls
Pearls in History
History of Pearls
Pearl History Timeline
Famous Pearls
Kokichi Mikimoto
Pearls and Medicine
Pearls in Myth
Pearl Cultivation
Pearl Producing Mollusks
Pearl Farming
Pearl Nucleus
Pearl Harvest
Pearl Treatments
Pearl Care & Grading
The Pearl Necklace
Caring for Pearls
Grading Pearls
Pearl-Guide FAQ
Glossary of Terms
Forum Rules and Policies
Contact Us

Largest Pearl on the Market up for Auction

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-2007, 04:38 PM
purepearls purepearls is offline
Super Moderator
Senior Guide Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 403
By BARBARA SURK, Associated Press Writer

Quote:
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - It has been passed down for 800 years, from Chinese emperors to Marco Polo. The name of its current owner is a secret. But Thursday, hundreds of people will get the chance to buy the world's largest natural pearl on the market.

ADVERTISEMENT

The "Arco Valley Pearl" — 3.1 inches in length — will be up for bidding at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace and on the Internet, where it is estimated to fetch up to $8 million.

The 575-carat pearl from 12th century Mongolia once belonged to Chinese emperors, Persian kings, the grandson of Genghis Khan and Marco Polo.

The value of the saltwater pearl is based on its size, color, weight, exclusivity, history and records of what people have been prepared to pay for similar precious items.

"It's 800 years old and it still takes your breath away," said Khaled al-Sayegh, 35, a jeweler from Abu Dhabi and chairman of the organizing committee for Thursday's event.

Arco Valley is only the biggest pearl up for sale in the world.

The 9.45-inch Pearl of Allah is the world's largest. It was found by a diver off the Philippine island of Palawan in 1934 and is stored in a museum in that country.

The Arco Valley pearl, named after a previous owner from Austria's Arco Valley family dynasty, is white with a touch of blue, mixed with pink and cream colors on its sides. It has been drilled three times: to fit among the jewels of an unknown woman's tiara, to go with a ceremonial mandarin suit and to fit a crown or turban decorated with precious stones belonging to a Persian king.

It has since been restored to its original shape.

Court documents prove the pearl was owned by Kublai Khan, the 13th century emperor of China and grandson of Genghis Khan. Experts believe Kublai Khan gave the pearl to Marco Polo as a gift.

Al-Sayegh said he and his partner brought the Arco Valley pearl to Abu Dhabi less than two months ago. He said the pearl was privately owned but did not disclose the owner's name.

At least 400 people from the Emirates, Gulf countries, China, India, Britain, the U.S. and Tahiti are expected to attend the auction.
Visit: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070503/..._largest_pearl
__________________
Amanda Raab
Founder & CEO

PurePearls.com
Call: 1-800-762-0977
www.purepearls.com/blog
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-2007, 05:45 PM
Caitlin's Avatar
Caitlin Caitlin is offline
Museum Pearl
Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Southern Arizona
Posts: 3,196
Here is a link to the thread I started last week on the subject.

There is a picture of it in the article. It appears to be a press release photo
Attached Images
 
__________________
Caitlin


potamilus purpuratus
American Pearl Mussel
Where can I get a pearl from this mussel?
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-2007, 05:50 PM
salem's Avatar
salem salem is offline
First-graft Pearl
Senior Guide Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Matsumoto, Japan
Posts: 303
LOL...I thought I had just read about that recently. I saw a photo of the Pearl of Allah( also noted in the article). IMHO, that pearl is ugly as sin. Magnificent for it's size, no doubt, but I think it looks more like a brain than a turbaned head. The Arco Valley Pearl is lovely though.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-2007, 06:20 PM
Casey.R Casey.R is offline
First-graft Pearl
Senior Guide Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 468
I don't find it ugly at all.
Oh you mean the other one. Do you have a photoof it?

Last edited by Casey.R; 05-03-2007 at 06:30 PM.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-2007, 06:26 PM
Valeria101's Avatar
Valeria101 Valeria101 is offline
Third-graft Pearl
Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,706
There was another thread about it recently: THIS ONE

... same press release is making its way around the world (it took weeks from the Gulf News) to Romania!

Another photo seems to show a different color and the scale!


Last edited by Valeria101; 05-03-2007 at 06:29 PM.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-2007, 07:49 PM
Kevin Canning's Avatar
Kevin Canning Kevin Canning is offline
Super Moderator
Senior Guide Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Victoria Canada, and Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 573
pearl-guide.com was actually contact yesterday by CBS news radio to do an interview in regards to this pearl.

Unfortunatly they emailed a couple of hours before taping was to begin and we didn't get a chance to weigh in on the topic.
__________________
Kevin Canning
President, Pearls Of Joy
www.PearlsOfJoy.com
1-800-451-1411
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 05-09-2007, 10:26 PM
eric-anandia-pearls eric-anandia-pearls is offline
Young Spat
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 6
Looks like they postponed the auction for the time being. The updated article is here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070503/..._largest_pearl

-----
Eric Rautman
Anandia Pearls
http://www.anandia.com
866-386-4170 (toll free)
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 05-10-2007, 04:16 AM
Caitlin's Avatar
Caitlin Caitlin is offline
Museum Pearl
Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Southern Arizona
Posts: 3,196
I already posted this update five days ago here.
__________________
Caitlin


potamilus purpuratus
American Pearl Mussel
Where can I get a pearl from this mussel?
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

All times are GMT. The time now is 06:25 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.1.0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18