Natural pearls adorned the wealthy and powerful for not only centuries but thousands of years. Stories date back to the time of Alexander. In addition, the character for “pearls” appears for the first time in a Chinese dictionary written about 1000BC.
In more recent times, natural pearls have also played a prominent role. In 1917, the flagship Cartier building on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street was purchased for one double strand of natural Akoya and a token amount of $100. This building stands today to as a testament to the value placed upon pearls.
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