Ani the Historian

historysagas:

One of the largest and most-perfect pearls in history; La Pellegrina, or The Wanderer. It was found by African slave in Santa Margarita, the Gulf of Panama, in the mid-16th century. It was given to Philip II of Spain, who gave it to his fiancee, Queen Mary I of England. After her death, it became part of the Crown Jewels of Spain, and then in 1808, of France. It changed hands many times, ending at an auction at Sotheby’s in 1969; it was sold to Richard Burton, who gave it as a Valentine’s gift to his wife Elizabeth Taylor, the actress.