I stumbled across this interesting story in the Advertiser Adelaide
from Sydney, Australia. Worth a look for all you pearl lovers out there:
Pearler of an exhibit has ugly side
By Peter Trute
07feb06
FOR a priceless gem, they are pretty ugly.
But these pearls were cultivated 250 years ago by a Swedish naturalist
and are the first round pieces ever created, sparking a jewellery
trend which has been with us ever since.
Now they have arrived in Australia amid the sort of security reserved
for heads of state.
The pearls are the work of Carl von Linne, also known as Linnaeus, and
will be the star attraction at an upcoming exhibition at the
Australian Museum.
Audrey Hepburn famously wore pearls in Breakfast At Tiffany's,
generations of David Jones shop assistants made them their uniform and
even swimmer Ian Thorpe is spruiking them.
But when Linnaeus began his work in 1758, round pearls could not be
grown.
He devised a tiny wire frame which held the inserted bead for the
pearl away from the shell, producing the world's first perfectly
spherical gem.
His earliest efforts were not a success - looking more like dried peas
than precious decorations.
Kathy Way, collection manager at London's Natural History Museum,
admits the Linnaean pearls suffer when compared to modern products.
"It's their historical importance that makes them priceless," she said
yesterday.
The pearls are considered so valuable they are transported amid tight
security and secrecy.
Ms Way cannot be photographed nor can their carry case.
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