9 Row Natural Pearl Necklace Took 31 Years to Make

Bahraini pearls, renowned for their unmatched quality and craftsmanship, are taking centre stage at Jewellery Arabia, showcasing the Kingdom's legacy in the global jewellery industry.

Speaking to Bahrain News Agency (BNA), Mohamed Abdulrazzaq Al Mahmood, CEO of Al Mahmood Pearls, emphasised that Bahrain has maintained its position as a global leader in natural pearl quality and craftsmanship. He highlighted that international brands, including leading brands like Cartier, continue to recognise Bahraini pearls as unparalleled in quality.


A key highlight at the exhibition is a nine-row pearl necklace displayed by Al Mahmood Pearls. “As a seventh-generation member of the Al Mahmood family, keeping the family pearl business alive,” he said. “The necklace on display at the Jewellery Arabia is the nine-row necklace, which was previously a seven-row necklace. The seven-row necklace took us 27 years to finish, and it was my father’s wish to make this seven-row necklace into a nine-row.”


“It was just three weeks before the exhibition that we considered the collection of pearls we had, and by God’s grace, we could make an additional two-row necklace which matched this necklace. With these additions of pearls added to the necklace we can say that in total it took nearly 31 years for this nine-row pearl necklace to be ready,” he explained.



He explained an old Arabic saying associated with Tawash: “Al-Ghaniyya Al-Faqeer,” which translates to "the richest but the poorest." This phrase encapsulates the paradox of pearl merchants, who are rich in their collection of pearls but often lack liquid wealth due to reinvestment in their trade. Al Mahmood noted that the intricate process of sourcing, matching, and crafting pearls into such pieces requires immense patience, expertise, and resources, further enhancing the necklace’s intangible value.

SOURCE: https://www.bna.bh/en/news?cms=q8FmFJgiscL2fwIzON1%2BDgbCr1bWhD6gHfbDa%2B6eSEI%3D