Natural pearl and diamond drop earrings, circa 1915.

These earrings are in very good condition.

The world’s oldest gemstone, the pearl has a long and illustrious history, which predates written history. Admired for their beautiful lustre, the pearl is a miracle of nature and amongst the most highly coveted gems of all time. Throughout history, royalty have adorned themselves with natural pearls which symbolised wealth, status, and power. In ancient Rome, pearls were considered more valuable than diamonds and Julius Caesar passed a law stating that only the upper classes could wear pearls within Rome’s borders.

The nobility and royalty of Western Europe also coveted the natural pearl, adorning themselves with elaborate pearl jewellery of every variety. In 1612 the Duke of Saxony passed a law allowing only royalty to wear pearls. Upper society was then excluded, and pearls distinguished royalty alone. Instantly, these prohibited gems became ever more desirable. However, as popularity grew the number of pearl-bearing molluscs began to decline. This, along with the difficulty in gathering pearls from their source are the main reasons why natural pearls were so rare and exclusive.

Today, the natural pearl is one of the rarest gems, as there are only a few scarce occasions in which a natural pearl is found in the current ocean environment.