Robb Report October 2001 PASSION FOR PEARLS Everyone knows that classic pealrs are a must-have staple in any woman's jewelry collectlon. But did you realize that precious pearls existed long before the dinosaurs roamed the earth? Pearls are the only gem formed by an animal—the oyster—and their fascinating history is the subject of a six-month exhibition that opens in October at New York City's American Museum of Natural History. A team of four museum curators spent the past three years searching the world for rare pearl fossils, artifacts, art, and jewels that date back 95 million years. Among the extraordinary treasures on display are a pearl-encrusted Imperial Chinese robe from the Mogul Empire, a pearl pin from the sanctuary of Aphrodite in Cyprus from the second century B.C., and pearl jewels from Mary, Queen of Scots, and Marie Antoinette. Modern pieces from esteemed jewelers such as Ellagem (brooch, left) are also included in the exhibit. Exotlc and rare pear varieties on view include a natural melo, an orange pearl found off the Vietnam coast that can grow to be as large as a golf ball, and colorful pink and orange conch pearls produced by Queen conchs, which inhabit the Caribbean.