Top 10 | Most Beautiful, Elegant, and Expensive Different type of Pearls

The history of pearls: one of nature's greatest miracles
Known as the “Queen of Gems”, pearls have been coveted for centuries. Find out about the world's oldest gem here.
Officially the world’s oldest gem, pearls have been revered since long before written history. For this reason, their discovery cannot be attributed to one person in particular, but it is believed that they were first discovered by people searching for food along the seashore. We know that they have been worn as a form of adornment for millennia thanks to a fragment of pearl jewelry found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess that dates back to 420 BC, which is now on display at the Louvre in Paris.

Pearls were presented as gifts to Chinese royalty as early as 2300 BC, while in ancient Rome, pearl jewelry was considered the ultimate status symbol. So precious were the spherical gems that in the 1st century BC, Julius Caesar passed a law limiting the wearing of pearls only to the ruling classes.

The abundance of natural oyster beds in the Persian Gulf meant that pearls also carried great importance in Arab cultures, where legend stated that pearls were formed from dewdrops that were swallowed by oysters when they fell into the sea. Before the advent of cultured pearls, the Persian Gulf was at the center of the pearl trade and it was a source of wealth in the region long before the discovery of oil.

With such a long and ancient history, it is no wonder that, over time, the pearl became shrouded in myth and legend. In ancient China, pearl jewelry was said to symbolize the purity of the wearer while, in the Dark Ages, knights often wore pearls on the battlefield, believing that the precious gemstones would keep them safe. According to legend, Cleopatra crushed a pearl into a glass of wine to prove to Marc Antony that she could give the most expensive dinner in history.

Today, natural pearls are among the rarest of gems, and their almost entirely depleted supply means that they are found very infrequently only in the seas off Bahrain and Australia. The scarcity of natural pearls is reflected in the prices they fetch at auction, with antique pearl necklaces and earrings selling for record-breaking sums. Last year, a pair of natural pearl earrings - left - which once belonged to Empress Eugenie of France, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte - set a new world record when they sold for US$3.3 million at Doyle New York.

Pearls have been an important trade commodity since Roman times, and the discovery of pearls in Central and South America in the 15th and 16th centuries led to the so-called Pearl Age. With the escalating demand for pearls in Western Europe, where ladies of nobility and royalty wore elaborate pearl necklaces, earrings, pearl bracelets, and brooches, by the 19th century, demand for pearl jewelry became so high that oyster supplies began to dwindle.

Unlike gemstones that are mined from the earth, a living organism produces a pearl and, in fact, their very existence is a freak of nature. A pearl is formed when an irritant, such as a parasite or piece of shell, becomes accidentally lodged in an oyster's soft inner body, causing it to secrete a crystalline substance called nacre, which builds up around the irritant in layers until a pearl is formed. Cultured pearls are formed through the same process, the only difference being that the irritant is implanted in the oyster rather than entering it by chance.

Until the start of the 20th century, the only way of collecting pearls was through divers risking their lives at depths of up to 100ft to retrieve the pearl oysters. It was a dangerous pursuit and one that carried a limited chance of success as a ton of oysters would throw up only three or four quality pearls. Freshwater mollusks living in shallow rivers and streams were easier to gather, but these pearl beds were often reserved for harvesting by royalty.

#AndrewPidor

[dorabarkley]

While I’m not a huge fan of jewelry I have incredible respect for the design and creation of jewelry, cultivation of gems etc - this is so fascinating 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[paramusica]

Im not into pearls, but more into gemstones. However, your video made me realize how precious and valuable they can be.. Thank you.

[josephinepee]

Amazing. One beautiful color after another. I didn't know they could come in so many colors. Thanks for showing them.

[pamelaklippel]

Have been mesmerized by the beauty of Pearls my whole life...my favorite are the Tahitians, cannot get enough! 😘

[taleandclawrock]

Absolutely magical, im obsessed, i had no idea there were so many different kinds of pearls. The jewelry at the end was stunningly exquisite.

[myriamickx]

I own a pair of ear rings made from two big Tahitian pearls - iridescent deep green in colour. I had the pearls mounted with the simplest setting so that all the attention is focused on their beauty. I love to wear them, I have several items of clothing I bought just to match the pearls so colour.

[staytrue]

Absolutely breathtaking especially the pink pearl. So beautiful.

[constancekrischan]

I have a pearl that I inherited from my mother whom is now deceased. Pearls are one of very few things in nature that have luster! As always, very informative video, computer voice well trained and annunciation on par. I so enjoy all your videos and I hope you never run out of subject matter. I love opals, hint-hint.

[christianfrommuslim]

LESSONS from PEARLS: Once a university student from Kuwait brought me a pearl after her return from the Middle East. Yet surprisingly, she did not know how pearls were made. I shared with her how constant irritation made such a beautiful thing, and how difficulties in our lives can do the same.
An even more meaningful story is of "the pearl of great price, " one of the fascinating parables which won Jesus such popularity. In it a pearl is found by a merchant. To get it he sells everything that he has.

There are two interpretations to the parable:
One is that when we see the beauty of living in tune with God and people, we would exchange everything we have to be part of it.
The other is that God loves us so much, we are like a pearl that he gives his best to save. He came to earth to be with and suffer with us. He died for our wrongs, and his resurrection gives us hope of eternal life - the best gift of all!

[rainification]

It is quite rare for men to wear pearls but I do! I was gifted a few sets of black tahitian south sea pearls and golden south sea pearls from jewelmer and I have to say, more men should incorporate pearl studs in their outfits

[marilyncole]

I did not realize how many different varieties of pearls, very informative video as well as beautiful!💝💝

[thisnthat]

I've always hated my name because it just sounds like an old English spinster in the countryside with dozens of cats but after watching this i ACCEPT MY NAME WITH A PRIDE, my name's meaning is THE PEARL... Yes i am a PEARL.

[krisushi]

My one dream is to own a Natural Pearl, made by nothing but Mother Nature and without the hands of humans interfering in its growth. It doesn't have to be large nor a whole strand, just one!
Thank you Andrew for yet another great video. Sorry for the delay in commenting but things have been quite crazy going for me lately. I never knew that Abalone Shells ever produced a type of Pearl, even though I love Abalone itself. I do love the colours of the Tahitian Pearls and for myself, I require a pearl to be round. It is a Jewellery Masterpiece as were some others I spied in your video. So far I only have have a suite of Freshwater Pearls set in White Gold with Diamonds. For me, it's more to do with what I like and catches my eye. Maybe one day I'll invest in something more. Hope work has calmed down a little although we are experiencing a Second Wave. Five million people in Melbourne are isolatated and in lockdown. Luckily, I don't live in Melbourne but we are banned from the rest of the Country! Nice to know when you're wanted! Take care of yourself and get as much rest as you can squeeze in. Love Kris 🇦🇺 😘

[queensandybrown]

The keshi pearls are amazing because of their unique shapes 💖💛

[elizabethreed]

Love, love, love pearls! Especially south sea pearls.

[LeNguyen-imdm]

WOW. Pink pearls are so beautiful. I think older people wear pink pearls make them look younger.

[ssndisteele]

Amazing. I did not realize the magnitude and variety of the pearl. The info you give is so well done. Thank you. The colors are astounding.

[kellysunserenity]

The melo melo pearl is quite beautiful. Like the color of the evening sunset. Lovely. Great video. Thanks for uploading!

[BrianWanes]

Thoroughly enjoyable video, but I'm surprised to see no mention of freshwater pearls! They have such a rich history, and I think they really deserve more attention

[elainemcdonald]

Such great information here, I did not know there were so many different types of pearls, I really like the peacock colour ones 🇮🇪😊