Several Spanish royal sovereigns, as well as a Hollywood queen, the late actress Elizabeth Taylor, owned “La Peregrina”, the world’s most famous pearl. The Peregrina is an unusually large and uniquely shaped pearl, considered one of the most valuable and legendary gems in European history.

Few jewels carry such a fascinating history as this pearl. It literally traveled across many countries since its discovery. However, its name, “Peregrina,” does not stem from its journeys, but from its peculiar form—recall that in past centuries, the word peregrino meant something rare, extraordinary, or whimsical. Tear-shaped pearls are highly prized for their beauty and scarcity, which made “La Peregrina” a coveted treasure among the royalty of the time, including Margaret of Austria, Maria Luisa of Parma, and Isabel de Borbón, queens of Spain who wore it across centuries.

The story of this famous pearl begins around 1515, when it was found by an African slave in the waters of the Gulf of Panama, who was granted freedom for the discovery. The pearl passed into the hands of Panama’s chief constable, Diego de Tebes, who later brought it to Seville, where it was purchased by King Philip II of Spain. Initially, the pearl was set in a brooch alongside the famous “El Estanque” diamond and adorned several Spanish queens, including Isabel Clara Eugenia, Margaret of Austria, Isabel de Borbón, and Maria Luisa of Orleans. Some were even painted by Velázquezwearing the jewel, and King Philip III himself used it to decorate one of his hats.

“La Peregrina” remained part of the Spanish Crown jewels for a long time until around 1808, when Joseph Bonaparte, elder brother of Napoleon, who ruled Spain during the French occupation, obtained it. Years later, he fled the country with the pearl after losing the Spanish throne, although some sources suggest he had previously sent it to Paris.

It is likely that Joseph included the pearl in his will, so it eventually came into the possession of Napoleon III, who sold it after his defeat around 1848 due to financial difficulties, to the Marquis of Abercorn, whose family kept it until the early 20th century. On one occasion, the Marquis’s wife wore it at a ball at the Tuileries Palace in Paris. The pearl had a unique issue: it occasionally detached from its setting. Reportedly, the Abercorn wife refused to drill the pearl to secure it better.

Elizabeth Taylor en su papel de Ana Bolena

Around 1914, the Abercorn family sold the pearl to a London jeweler, R.G. Hennel and Sons, who later offered it to King Alfonso XIII of Spain, providing photographs of the jewel. Concerned with the ongoing world war and unable to meet the high price, the king declined the offer. Soon after, he acquired a second pearl, which his widow would display in 1969.

Between 1914 and 1967, La Peregrina passed through two more collectors: it was bought by millionaire Judge Geary, sold in 1917 to Henry Huntington, and later publicly auctioned, creating an international sensation at Parke-Bernet in New York on January 23, 1969, lot number 129. Curiously, Alfonso de Borbón Dampierre, grandson of Victoria Eugenia, attempted to reclaim the jewel, bidding $20,000–$30,000, despite the widow of Alfonso XIII insisting until her death that the “real Peregrina” was hers—a false claim, since the original pearl had never been drilled, unlike the “fake Peregrina” she possessed.

Finally, actor Richard Burton, bidding through his legal representative Arron R. Frosch, purchased it for $37,000 and presented it as a gift to Elizabeth Taylor on her 37th birthday. She later wore the pearl in its original setting in the film “Anne of the Thousand Days” (1969), portraying Anne Boleyn—though historically, Anne never owned the pearl. Subsequently, Taylor commissioned Cartier to design an exclusive, lavish necklace of pearls, diamonds, and rubies, reportedly participating in the design herself, transforming La Peregrina into a jewel of priceless value. The pearl made a second screen appearance in “The Little Night Music” (1977) and became one of Taylor’s favorite pieces, worn on numerous occasions.

One particularly striking anecdote from Elizabeth Taylor’s time with the pearl is recounted in her memoir, “My Love Affair With Jewels”. While staying at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas with Richard Burton, the pearl detached from its setting and nearly got lost on the suite’s wall-to-wall carpet.

Terrified to tell Burton, Elizabeth spent hours feeling the carpet with her toes, searching for the pearl. She eventually saw a puppy chewing on what she thought was a bone: “I did the slowest, longest double-take of my life,” she recalled. “I opened the puppy’s mouth, and there was the most perfect pearl in the world. Thank God, not a scratch on it.”

Clearly, La Peregrina is not the largest pearl in the world, but it is the most famous and precious. Experts have rated it the most remarkable pearl ever for its exceptional quality, brilliance, and shape. It was among the most treasured jewels of the immortal Cleopatra star and a symbol of Richard Burton’s enduring love. After Taylor’s passing, the pearl was auctioned again in December 2011 at Christie’s New York, with a starting price of $2–3 million, ultimately selling for €9 million ($11.8 million), setting a record auction price. Prior to the sale, it was exhibited in major capitals worldwide, including Madrid, allowing enthusiasts of luxury, history, and curiosity to admire it one last time in the land that had been its home for generations.