CIBJO invites you to join the 16th Home Gemmology webinar,
telling the story of several of the world's most famous pearls
Taking place in two sessions on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, the upcoming Home Gemology webinar is presented by Rui Galopim de Carvalho, who this time will be telling the stories behind some of the most famous pearls in history.
Presenting and describing several remarkable archaeological discoveries, some very large and others natural blisters, Rui will also consider the veracity of Cleopatra's legendary bet with Marc Anthony, where in an effort to show who could host the most extravagant banquet it is said that she crushed an almost priceless large pearl from a pair of earrings and dissolved it in a goblet of vinegar, before drinking it.
Rui will also review some of the record-breaking sales of pearl jewellery at auction over the past several years. Among them is the pearl and diamond necklace pictured above. It that belonged to Josephine de Beauharnais (1807-1876), queen of Sweden and Norway, which was sold in 2014 at Sotheby's for $3.42 million. Photo © Sotheby's