Enter the nucleus

Enter the NucleusHighly skilled technicians open the live pearl oysters carefully, then surgically implant a small polished shell bead and a piece of mantle tissue in each. The shell bead serves as the nucleus around which the oyster secretes layer after layer of nacre, the crystalline substance that forms the pearl.

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Marie Antoinette Drop Pearl Necklace

A neckalce owned by Marie Antoinette will be auctioned in London in December 12, 2007.

Marie Antoinette, the French queen, died by the guillotine in 1793.

The queen gave the pearls to Lady Sutheland before the emabassy pulled out of France in 1792.

Lady Sutherland was the wife of British Ambassador Goerge Levenson-Gower.

The necklace was made for an 1849 wedding of the Sutherlnad-Levenson-Gower family.

It has a fringe of 21 gray drop-shaped pearls hanging from a diamond collar, which is set with 12 button-shaped, gold mounter pearls.

Source: Christie's International

Source: Linda Sandler @ Bloomberg News

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