London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

A Brief Timeline of History's Most Famous Pearls

A Brief Timeline of History's Most Famous Pearls

From Cleopatra's pearl obsession to Kamala Harris's symbolic strands, T&C charts the evolution of these mollusk prizes.

Since ancient times pearls have been synonymous with wealth and power. They deified monarchs and launched wars; Cleopatra even drank one to prove she was rich. After a brief interlude when pearls traded their luster of omnipotence for a ladylike reputation, they are reclaiming their ­status as markers of success.

Take Vice President Kamala Harris, whose signature strands signify solidarity with her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sisters. And that inauguration necklace designed by Wilfredo Rosado? He referenced hip-hop chains. Wars may no ­longer be waged for them, but the message is clear: These are not your grandmother’s pearls.

Below, a brief history of the world's most beguiling gems.

So great was Cleopatra’s obsession with pearls that her lover Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 BC to plunder some of the beauties, which were abundant in Scotland’s rivers.


Queen Elizabeth I, who reigned from 1558 to 1603, used pearls to fashion her image as both Virgin Queen and almighty ruler. In this famous portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the ­Younger, the monarch is laden with hundreds of pearls to under­score not only her wealth and power but also her Christian virtue and ­divine right.


The Persian Gulf was home to the most highly prized pearls until the end of the 19th century, when overfishing decimated the oyster ecosystem. Then, in 1893, Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl, and the future of these gems was secured.


“Pearls are always appropriate,” Jackie Kennedy famously said, and as first lady she made a three-strand pearl necklace her signature. Presidential wives from Mary Todd Lincoln to Barbara Bush have long favored pearls as a safe symbol of understated elegance. For Vice President Harris they represent something more: sister­hood, success, and female empower­ment.


These days natural pearls appear in only rare vintage ­pieces. Take La Peregrina, a 51-carat pearl discovered in the 16th century that passed through the Spanish and French crowns before Richard Burton bought it for Elizabeth Taylor in 1969. But moments ­after she received the gift, it disappeared, only to be found in the mouth of one of her Lhasa Apsos. In 2011, the jewel fetched a ­record $11.8 million at Christie’s.


Over the centuries, how pearls have been used has evolved in innovative and artistic ways. Jewelry designer Melanie Georgacopoulos carves, slices, and manipulates pearls into modern minimalist designs, while Fendi (left) and Schiaparelli showed layers of voluptuous pearls at their January haute couture presentations in Paris. Wilfredo Rosado takes an irreverent approach, embedding striking black Tahitian pearls with vibrant emeralds, or incorporating symbols like marijuana leaves.



Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×