Nature has a way of continuously surprising us with more and more unimaginable treasures. This was the case with the Giga Pearl when it was discovered in the Philippines many years ago. The Giga Pearl is an almost incomprehensible size, having been certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) as the largest natural blister in the world, a pearl weighing 27.65 kilograms. Let that sink in: kilograms.
Now what exactly is a natural blister? It is defined by The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), which is the authority in gemological definitions, in their Pearl Book as:
“...an internal protuberance of the shell caused by the intrusion of foreign bodies between the mantle and the shell. The interior may or may not be hollow and the secretion occurs naturally, without human intervention.”
The waters of the Philippines are home to one of the most fascinating mollusks on earth - the Tridactna Gigas evolving over 65 million years ago during the Eocene Epoch, they are the largest mollusks in the fossil record. Measuring over a meter wide and weighing more than 200 kilograms, these giants can live for over 100 years.
The pure water of the Philippines have created the perfect environment to grow one of the most beautiful treasures that we have ever had the privilege to behold: the largest know natural pearl of any kind, in existence to date.
This is not a generational treasure this is a human treasure, hard pressed to ever be surpassed, and therefore requires the highest level of stewardship. It is imperative that this natural wonder be shared with the world, for all to enjoy.
The Giga Pearl has been paired with a bronze sculpture created by one of New York’s most promising artists, Bethany Krull. Her work has been exhibited internationally and focuses on human interaction with the natural world, how we engage, or more often don’t, with the environment around us.
“Seeing this incredible natural pearl and learning of its origins in the Philippine Seas, which are so rich with diversity and teeming with life, inspired me to create a sculpture that not only displays the pearl’s magnificence but also reiterates the idea that the biodiversity and uniqueness of the waters to which it was born need to be respected and preserved. The majestic octopus, a creature thought to be the most intelligent of all invertebrates’ wraps its sensuous and undulating tentacles around the pearl in the most beautiful and protective embrace.” – Bethany Krull
A private collector, who commissioned Ms. Krull to create the sculpture to adorn it, currently owns the pearl and is preparing a public exhibition to unveil it to the world.
For more information, please visit the official website www.thegigapearl.com. addnan.hassoun@thegigapearl.com
American Artist Ms. Bethany Krull & The Private Collector
