Filipino-Canadian Discovers Old Family Heirloom is Actually a 1000-Year-Old Giant Pearl Worth $90 Million
By Ryan General
May 28, 2019
A Filipino-Canadian man discovered that an heirloom that has been in his family for decades was actually a 1,000-year-old pearl worth around $90 million (4.74 billion Philippine pesos).
Abraham Reyes, who is based in Ontario, Canada, thought the item was a novel home ornament that resembled a giant tooth. It was only after he brought the mineral to appraisers out of curiosity when he confirmed that it was a pearl.
Reyes told Inquirer USA that the pearl originated from a giant clam his grandfather bought from a fisherman in the Philippines in 1959. His family has kept it as an heirloom ever since.
He reportedly had the pearl authenticated at the Gemological Institute of America in New York City.
According to the appraisers, the value of the pearl could be worth as much as $90 million (4.74 billion Philippine pesos).
The heirloom, which Reyes now calls the “Giga Pearl,” currently sits on a custom-made 22-carat gold holder shaped like an octopus that he had commissioned.
At 60.957 pounds, Reyes’ Giga Pearl easily outweighs the 14.1-pound “Pearl of Lao Tzu” which was the previous record holder for the world’s largest pearl. The Pearl of Lao Tzu was discovered in Palawan, Philippines in 1939.
The Giga Pearl’s impressive size and quality, however, are still no match for the “Pearl of Puerto Princesa” which weighs an incredible 74.9 pounds.
The giant pearl was also found in Palawan by a fisherman, who kept the giant clam and the pearl inside it as a “lucky charm” under his bed for a decade.
He only discovered it was worth $100 million in 2016 after he decided to take it to his aunt when he was about to move to a new residence.
His aunt, who also happened to be the local tourism department chief, had the pearl appraised, according to Town & Country.
While the “Pearl of Puerto Princesa” remains the property of the unnamed fisherman, he has lent it to the local government of Puerto Princesa City which is keeping it on display at the city hall.
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