[Pearl World Journal]

Doctor Jack Ogden visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai in January, 2007, as the guest of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, and attended a conference called The Allure of Pearls in which he gave a talk entitled The Pearl Trade: A Voyage through Art, History and Literature in which he discussed the development of the pearl trade over 2,000 years between about 300 BC and AD1700. The following material is from his discussion on Pearls in the Gulf.

In the early Classical and Near Eastern civilizations there is little indication for the use of pearls before the time of Alexander the Great’s expeditions to the East around 300 B.C. However, in the Persian Gulf, there is evidence of a far longer history. For example, the use of pearls pierced to form beads can be traced many millennia B.C. in Kuwait at AI-Buhais in Sharjah, at Al Doora hill settlement in Umm Al Quawain, and at Al Qusais, just north of Dubai.
Pearls from tombs at Al Qusais date to between about 2,000 and 1,000 B.C. These pearls, along with other jewelry from the site, are now in Dubai Museum. Other museums in the region possess collections related to the pearl trade. For example, a rope and lead weight used to speed the divers to the sea bed is on display at the museum at Al Ain.
Pride of place among pearl museums must go, of course, to the Pearl Museum at the National Bank of Dubai.
This museum honors both the late All Bin Abdullah Al Owais and his son, Sultan Bin All Al Owais. All Bin Abdullah Al Owais was a wealthy pearl trader who dreamed of establishing a financial institution to serve local needs. His son brought this vision to fruition and became the first chairman of the National Bank of Dubai in 1963.
Under his leadership, the bank was able to play a vital role in developing Dubai into the Gulf’s leading commercial business and financial center. By the time of his death in 2000, Sultan Bin All Al Owais had amassed one of the largest pearl collections in the world.
He gave this collection to the people of the gulf under the custodianship of the National Bank of Dubai, where the collection is now housed on the 15th floor headquarters of the National Bank of Dubai Headquarters. (The Pearl Museum at the National Bank of Dubai can be visited by invitation only.)
The exhibits on display in the Pearl Museum range from a truly astounding quantity of natural pearls, loose and in jewelry, to the sieves, weights, loupes and tally books that record the day-to-day life of the pearl traders and divers.
In the period 1830-1900, the output of the pearl industry was worth an average of about US$ 1,750,000 annually. The region had approximately 1,200 pearling vessels (of which 335 were from Dubai) working on the oyster banks during the season.
It is interesting to note that Chardin recorded that there were about 1,000 pearling vessels in the Gulf in the early seventeenth century.

Source: Gems & Jewellery, April 2007

In his presentation, Doctor Ogden illustrated this large natural pearl (photos attached); it is about 5cm high and quite likely the largest natural pearl to have passed through Gem-A’s gem testing laboratory. The pearl shows signs of age and parts of the present gold mount may date back to the eighteenth century.





The current owners of the Pearl, who have asked to remain anonymous, have had it their possession for over two decades.

[Kevin Canning]

Now thats an interesting piece and glad to have you on board Pearl World!

[Nerida]

Wow - amazing information, and that pearl! AND the goldwork!

Thank you for sharing this!

[pattye]

WOW, that is some pearl! I just checked my gauge to make sure--5cm is just shy of 2 inches! Was the goldwork was done in such a way so the pearl would not have to be drilled? Anyone forum members fortunate enough to get an invite to that museum???? Thanks much for the info, Pearl World, and welcome!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[smetzler]

Welcome, Pearl World! Look forward to more such teasers in between issues.

Huge pearl—the girth is shown as 10cm (4 inches) on the ruler in the bottom photo. Would the mentioned 5cm be the front to back (shortest) measurement?

Hue looked a bit red, let's see if this retouch is any better…

[Amrita]

Thanks for all the intruiging information and the great pearl photos, Pearl World! Wouldn't it be amazing to be invited to the Pearl Museum at the Bank of Dubai?

[Pearling Technologies]

Hi Bo. Good to 'see' you here. I've no doubt you could add a lot of valuable commentary on many of the topics in these forums.

[Caitlin]

That was an excellent article. I hope you keep posting here. You have such good access to unusual stories. I also would love to see more photos!