Pearls captivate with their quiet elegance and rich symbolism. The only gemstones created by living creatures, they're formed inside mollusks such as oysters and mussels. With shades ranging from classic white and cream to rare black, gold and pink, pearls include prized varieties such as Akoya, Freshwater, Tahitian and South Sea.
Long treasured in high-jewellery, pearls continue to command extraordinary value — in 2017, Christie’s sold a diamond and cultured pearl sautoir necklace by Boehmer et Bassenge for CHF 14.8 million.
ROLEX. A LADY'S 18K GOLD AND DIAMOND-SET WRISTWATCH WITH DATE, SWEEP CENTRE SECONDS, DIAMOND INDEXES AND MOTHER-OF-PEARL DIAL
LADY DATEJUST MODEL, REF. 179158
A MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND SILVER-INLAID ZITAN 'PRUNUS' SEAL BOX AND COVER
17TH-18TH CENTURY
Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (Plympton 1723-1792 London)
Portrait of Lucy Long, Mrs George Hardinge (d. 1820), three-quarter-length, in a white dress with a sheer brown scarf, a ribbon and pearls in her hair, with a spaniel, in a landscape
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (Leiden 1606-1669 Amsterdam)
Portrait of Petronella Buys (1610-1670), bust-length, in a brocaded black gown, bobin lace-trimmed double cartwheel ruff and pearled diadem cap
Lucas Cranach II (Wittenberg 1515-1586 Weimar)
Portrait of a lady, three-quarter-length, in a green velvet and orange dress and a pearl-embroidered black hat