Of delicate beauty, extreme rarity and immense value, pearls have always been objects of desire. Back in antiquity, people went pearl hunting in the Persian Gulf in search of pearls of superlative quality. After Alexander the Great conquered Persia, they also made their way to Europe. In the course of time, pearls have become shrouded in countless legends, myths and stories. After all, besides representing uninhibited indulgence in luxury, pearls have also been regarded as symbols of The Virgin Mary’s purity. In Ancient Greece and Rome, pearls were believed to have been born of the sea and endowed with magical and healing properties.

From classical antiquity until the present day, pearls have played a central role in jewelry. “Angels’ Tears or Gems of the Ocean: Pearls in the History of Jewelry” exhibition by  Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim illustrated the multifaceted ways of using pearls to create jewelry and the skilled craftsmanship involved. This was achieved by means of historical as well as contemporary examples, including exhibits from the Albion Art Jewelry Museum in Tokyo, the Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, Chaumet and Mellerio dits Meller in Paris, the Qatar Museums Authority in Doha and Tiffany & Co. in New York.