The Pearl of Puerto, the Giga Pearl, and the Pearl of Lao Tzu (Pearl of Allah) are all rare, natural pearls that come from large clams found off the coast of the Philippines. Currently valued at over $100 million, the Pearl of Puerto would be a lifelong fortune for the fisherman if it is eventually sold.
The Giga Pearl is owned by Abraham Reyes, a natural pearl and antiquities collector in Canada. Reyes comes from the rank of avid collectors. His great aunt, who is in her late 90s, is a major collector of Asian artifacts in the Philippines.
While the white pearls are also priced by jewelers, the gold pearl variety is the most coveted color. The gold South sea pearl's color can range from creamy white to deep gold, and the darker the color, the more expensive it becomes.
What is the most rare pearl? The most rare pearl in the world is the Melo Melo, which is produced by a sea snail and not an oyster or a mollusk. The Melo Melo differs in appearance compared to a classic pearl, having a shimmery surface with swirling patterns in the light.
The giant pearl is thought to be worth $100 million and is the largest known pearl in the world. The pearl is now on display at the city hall of Puerto Princesa, the local provincial capital as a means to attract tourists to the city.
Some of the world's most expensive pearls are so notoriously difficult to successfully produce and harvest that they are 'rarer than gold'.
Pearls tend to be significantly less expensive in comparison to diamonds, offering a more affordable option for budget-conscious couples.
A black pearl can also be formed from a white pearl-producing oyster that has an unusual black colouring in its nacre. This, however, is very rare and occurs in only one in 10,000 pearls.
Black Pearl Price Range:
Dyed Black Freshwater Pearls: $50 - $1000. Dyed Black Akoya Pearls: $100 - $2000.
A natural black pearl is more expensive and mysterious than its classic off-white cousins. And for good reason: Although manufacturers can dye pearls black, it takes extremely rare conditions to form pearls that have that dark, eerily iridescent glow.
White and Golden South Sea pearls are the largest and most luxurious of all cultured pearl types on the market today. Often called the “Queen of Pearls”, South Sea pearls feature a gorgeous palette of natural Golden and White colors that shimmer with delicate overtones and are simply unmistakable.
Today, natural pearls are extremely rare. Only 1 in about 10,000 wild oysters will yield a pearl and of those, only a small percentage achieve the size, shape and colour desirable to the jewellery industry.
La Peregrina is the most famous pearl in the world. Its history spans almost 500 years. In recent history it belonged to actress Elizabeth Taylor. The original weight of this pear-shaped pearl was 55.95 carats, 11.2 g.
Because mother of pearl is much less rare than pearl gemstones, it does not hold value as well. Considering that there is a much larger supply of mother of pearl, it's easy to understand why it is so affordable. While pearl jewelry will retain its value forever, this isn't necessarily true for mother of pearl jewelry.
– Australia: home to some of the finest quality pearls in the world, with a variety of colors ranging from white to black. The Australian pearl industry is worth an estimated $500 million per year.
It's often assumed that because something's old it must be valuable. That's rarely true and certainly not for pearls. Advances in technology and culturing techniques mean you can buy a much better set of pearls for far less money than in grandma's time.
Pearls are made by marine oysters and freshwater mussels as a natural defence against an irritant such as a parasite entering their shell or damage to their fragile body. The oyster or mussel slowly secretes layers of aragonite and conchiolin, materials that also make up its shell.
Queen Elizabeth II's triple-strand pearl necklaces are worth a lot of money. Borrowman estimates that each of the queen's pearl necklaces could be worth “over £5,000,000.” That would be the equivalent of about $5.7 million.
Black-lipped pearl oysters are now uncommon throughout the Hawaiian Islands and it is illegal to take them. These oysters are frequently covered by sand, algae and hydroids, thus making them blend in well with their surrounding habitat.
It is said that Black pearl stone brings good luck, fortune and abundance in the life of the wearer. It protects them from sudden death, accidents and mishappenings. People who are suffering from loss or financial crisis in business should wear this pearl.
Pink Pearls: While dyed pink pearls are easily available, natural pink pearls are most certainly not. This is because they are created by the queen conch, which is an endangered large marine sea snail. Also, these pearls are not cultured, which makes them extremely scarce. 2.
Blue Diamond – $3.93 million per carat
The most expensive and rarest gemstone in the world is a natural blue diamond. That explains the price of $3.93 million per carat. Blue diamonds were discovered in India and later displayed in a London collection in 1839. Traces of boron give blue diamonds their distinctive hue.
Luster: Of the seven pearl value factors, luster might be the most important. Luster is what gives a natural or cultured pearl its unique beauty. Within a pearl type, when other value factors are equal, the higher the luster, the more valuable the pearl.