A pearl retrieved off the coast of Palawan Island in the Philippines appears to be the biggest natural pearl ever found, much bigger than the current record holder known as the Pearl of Allah. This one was brought up by a fisherman whose anchor got stuck. He dove down to free it, and found it was wedged in a giant clam shell. He brought the clam up and saw it had a gigantic pearl inside. The yet-unnamed fisherman put the pearl away under his bed as a good luck charm. That was ten years ago.
According to various online reports a fire in his residence forced the fisherman to move house prompting him to turn the priceless piece over to a local tourism officer.
The prize pearl measures in at a jaw dropping 1ft in width and 2.2 feet in length making the world’s former biggest pearl –The Pearl of Allah- look like a lightweight.
The 34 kilogram pearl has yet to be authenticated by a gemologist. Read more of the story at Yahoo News. -via Digg
(Image credit: Aileen Cynthia Maggay-Amurao)