This giant pearl could be the world’s largest natural pearl weighing over 34 kg. The treasure’s worth is pegged at around USD 100 million. The identity of the man who found the pearl has not yet been disclosed, but according to the Daily Mail, the man discovered the priceless gem around a decade back in the sea off the coast of Palawan Island in Philippines. He decided to keep the pearl in his wooden shack for 10 years as a good luck charm.
Reports in Daily Mail suggest that a fire struck his property, which burnt his house to the ground. The person was then forced to clear out and hand over the gem to the local tourism office in Philippines’ remote Puerto Princesca. The pearl measures around 1 feet wide and 2.2 feet long, which is way more than the world’s current biggest Pearl of Allah that weighs approximately 6.4 kg and worth USD 35 million.
The world’s largest natural pearl will be put on display in the Philippines soon, after the $100 million treasure was recovered from a burned down house.
According to Aileen Amurao, a Philippine tourism officer, the pearl was first discovered in 2006 by a fisherman of the Palawan Island, when he threw the anchor down and its got stuck on a rock. The officer said when he swam down to pull up the anchor, he noticed it was lodged in a shell which he brought with himself. Since then it has been with him at his home.
The tourism officer said they were amazed when the fisherman brought it to them and now they’re waiting for gemologists to fully certify this piece of treasure. “We now need help from gemologists to fully certify it,” Amurao said.
The previous record was held by the Pearl of Lao Tze, which weighs 6.4 kg and is worth $35 million. It was also retrieved near Palawan Island.
[source;indianexpress]
