In December 2015 I visited an “internationally-acclaimed exhibition Pearls: Jewels from the Sea – developed and produced entirely in Qatar by Qatar Museums”, launched in Istanbul, Turkey, on 14 October as one of the highlights of the Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of Culture.
Pearls presents the history and legend, mythology and meaning of pearls from Qatar and around the world. Encompassing more than 100 diverse pieces of jewellery from the Gulf, Europe and Asia, the collection showcases pearls, shells, tiaras, lockets, brooches and necklaces – including several of European royal provenance – and provides visitors with a rare opportunity to see one of the finest collections of pearl jewellery in the world.
I only took pictures of some pieces, and none of the exhibits showing various forms of pearl, produced by not just the usual clams, but other shellfish, some of them extremely rare, or beautiful because of special colours and such. Neither do I show the buckets filled with thousands upon thousands of pearls. The exhibition will probably have closed (10-1-2016) by the time you read this. I found it special.