Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

World’s largest pearl found in the Philippines

PUERTO PRINCESA (Philippines) — A poor Philippine fisherman found what is thought to be the world’s largest pearl, but hid it under his bed for a decade without knowing its worth, local authorities said.

The 34kg pearl that was found by a Filipino fisherman. Photo: Aileen Cynthia Maggay-Amurao's Facebook page.

The 34kg pearl that was found by a Filipino fisherman. Photo: Aileen Cynthia Maggay-Amurao's Facebook page.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

PUERTO PRINCESA (Philippines) — A poor Philippine fisherman found what is thought to be the world’s largest pearl, but hid it under his bed for a decade without knowing its worth, local authorities said.

The man found the 34kg pearl inside a giant clam that was snagged by his anchor as he waited out a storm at sea, according to local tourism department chief Cynthia Amurao, who is also his aunt. (As a comparison, Japanese gymnast Asuka Teramoto weighed in at 37kg in Rio.)

Not knowing it could be worth millions of dollars, he kept the 30cm by 60cm pearl in his thatch hut on the western island of Palawan, tucked under a wooden bed as a good-luck charm, Mdm Amurao added.

In July, the nephew moved to a new address and took the object to his aunt in a tricycle, asking her to hide it for him, said Mdm Amurao, the city tourism officer for Puerto Princesa, the provincial capital.

“I was awestruck when I saw it just sitting on the dinner table,” she told AFP.

The fisherman is a member of the tiny Cuyonon ethno-linguistic group who live in a few small islands off Palawan, the biggest island in the southwest of the Philippines surrounded by the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea.

“I told him it would be pointless to hide it as we do not know its value. Why don’t we put it on public display instead,” she said.

With his consent, the pearl was put on display at the city hall of Puerto Princesa, the provincial capital, on Monday and photos were posted on the government’s Facebook page.

Local officials are hoping gemmologists will visit the city to assess its quality and value.

Currently, the 6.4kg “Pearl of Allah”, also known as the “Pearl of Lao Tzu”, is referred to as the world’s largest pearl. It was also found off Palawan, in 1939.

In 2003 it was valued at US$93 million (S$125.89 million) by Mr Michael “Buzz” Steenrod, a gemologist based in Colorado Springs.

Puerto Princesa city information officer Mr Richard Ligad confirmed Mdm Amurao’s account and said the man who found it could be in for a massive change in his life’s fortunes.

“He has not signed any deed of donation (to the city) so it remains his property,” Mr Ligad said. AGENCIES

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.