The Most Coveted Jewel in History

In a passage from Don Quixote, there is a snippet of a romance, and in its lyrics, there's a mention of a very special jewel that often goes unnoticed:

^{Oh, what of the finest pearls,
each one like a gill,
had they not companions,
'the solitary ones' they'd be called.}

The quotation marks highlight the expression "the only ones". Some annotated editions of Don Quixote note on the margin: "'The only one' is the name given to the 'Peregrine Pearl', a large-sized gem, which, along with the square diamond called 'the Pond', made up the so-called 'jewel of the Habsburgs'. It can be seen on the hat of King Philip III and on the chest of his wife, Margaret of Austria, in the equestrian portraits painted by Velázquez, today in the Prado Museum."

Indeed, in room 12 of the Prado Museum, which houses the Meninas, there are not two, but three works where this unique pearl is clearly visible. In addition to the paintings mentioned in the note from Don Quixote, the jewel also adorns the attire of Queen Isabel of Bourbon on horseback.

The appearance of this jewel is documented in the year 1579. It is described as a pearl of considerable size, with a very particular shape, resembling a pear or a teardrop. Its weight, also exceptional, is said to be 71 carats. Found in a fishery in Panama, it comes into the hands of a merchant who brings it to the court and gifts it to Philip II in an attempt to curry favour. For years, it was believed and taught that in the work of Antonio Moro, the portrait of Mary Tudor, the Peregrine also appears, but it is now known that this painting predates the discovery of the jewel. The confusion is partly justifiable because the pearl painted in that portrait is very similar, in shape and name, as this pearl is called the Pilgrim.

The height of curiosities and coincidences occurs with this jewel if we go, in the same Prado Museum, to Room 016B, and look at a work by Rubens whose protagonist is Anne of Austria. Which of the two pearls appears this time? It is the smaller, the less important, the one of lesser value, worn by Anne of Austria. However, there is another painting, with another Anne of Austria and in this one, the Peregrine, the most coveted jewel, does appear. Unfortunately, this work featuring Anne of Austria, Queen of Spain, is not in the Prado because it is on deposit at another institution. To clarify, the character portrayed by Rubens is the Queen of France and was named the same as the Spanish monarch Anne of Austria, 4th wife of Philip II.

There remains one more immensely important painting in which the authentic and genuine Peregrine Pearl can be recognised. In Room 32, in the large-format painting, "The Family of Charles IV" by Francisco de Goya, this piece features no less than 13 characters. One of the most prominent, in the centre of the composition, is Maria Luisa of Parma, wife of Charles IV. Upon close inspection, one can see she wears a jewel resembling a teardrop... the Peregrine.

At this point in the story, the twists and turns of life carry the exquisite pearl here and there. First, it was claimed by Joseph Bonaparte as part of his personal loot and then remained in France until the revolution, later appearing in the possession of the mother of Prince Felix Yusupov, the confessed assassin of Rasputin. It is said that, by 1914, Alfonso XIII wished to purchase it in London for his wife, possibly as a way to compensate for some infidelity. But the real one would be auctioned miles away, in New York City. The winner of the bid, who offered the obscene amount of XX million dollars, was the lawyer of actor Richard Burton, who gifted it to his beloved Elizabeth Taylor, who flaunted it in her pronounced neckline on more than one occasion.

An anecdote is told about the late 70s. In the impressive suite of the Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas, where actor Richard Burton was staying, Elizabeth Taylor danced euphorically until she realised she had lost the expensive pearl her fifth husband had gifted her for Valentine's Day. She searched every corner until, giving up, she decided to tell her husband, who was said to have a temperament so strong it could intimidate the bravest. Then she noticed that her pet, a poodle, was chewing on something that appeared to be a bone, but no, it was not a bone. Fortunately, the jewel was rescued in time from the jaws of the little animal. Upon the beautiful actress's death, the pearl was sold to a prestigious jewellery store, reaching a record price of 11.8 million dollars. It is currently said to be a distinguished piece in a museum and in a thousand other places.

Thus is the story of the Peregrine Pearl, or part of it, for there are endless facts and legends surrounding this jewel, unconfirmed or mistaken. Therefore, remember, if you visit the Prado, that Mary Tudor is a must-see portrait, but for chronological reasons, she could not have worn that marvelous pearl. The next time you're in the Meninas room, don't forget to glance at the coveted jewel.

Nor should you be surprised if, while reading The Count of Monte Cristo, you find a reference to the Peregrine.

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