Pearls are one of the oldest and most coveted precious gemstones in the world – and wild, natural pearls today regularly rank among the most highly valued gems you can buy. The history of pearls being used as jewelry stretches back over 6,000 years – and with that kind of staying power, it’s no wonder that everyone fro

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From Marie Antoinette's pearl pieces to the Maharaja of Baroda's necklace, meet the most expensive pearl jewellery to be sold at auctions.

The Baroda Pearls

From a Noble FamilyNATURAL PEARL, CULTURED PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACEComposed of three rows of graduated natural pearls and

“The Gulf Pearl Parure”, a unique and magnificent natural pearl and diamond parure, by Harry Winston, which sold for $4,189,165. The opulent parure comprises a total of 193 natural pearls of which 128 weigh a total of almost 1,300 grans (325 carats) and 166 diamonds of which 66 weigh a total of almost 160 carats.

Diamond Buzz on Instagram: "PEARL COLOURS Pearls come in a variety of colours and shades, such as white, cream, pink, silver, golden, blue, grey, green, bronze and black. The colour of pearls is determined by the colour of the lip of the oyster and pigments within conchiolin, an organic substance that holds and glues aragonite together. We also get various shades depending on the thickness of the nacre. The thicker it is, the more vivid colour a pearl shows. Pearl colour has three main…