The Emirates NBD Pearl Museum is a museum entirely devoted to pearl diving.
The most valuable pearls occur spontaneously in the wild, but are extremely rare. These wild pearls are referred to as natural pearls. Cultured or farmed pearls from pearl oysters and freshwater mussels make up the majority of those currently sold. Back in the days these pearls were handmade into very beautiful jewelry piecies.
Nice to know that the decorative value of a pearl depends on seven factors, the gloss, shape, color, size, perfection and symmetry and structure of the mother-of-pearl. The gloss or luster being the most important. That is why a small pearl can be worth more than a large pearl. Perfect round pearls are rare. A pearl with a rare color is also more expensive
Even before oil was discovered in Dubai’s land and millions of dollars came in through tourism, a large part of the population lived from the pearl diving. Thanks to the warm water of the Persian Gulf, the most beautiful pearls of the world were found. You will find out here how the catch was made and what the preparations were to catch the pearls.
In the waters around the United Arab Emirates, Dubai managed to make good money from the lucrative pearl trade. This gradually came to an end in the 1940s due to the rise of cheaper Japanese pearls. As a result, the lucrative pearl market of Dubai collapsed and so Dubai went looking for other income.
Two important pearl traders in the 1940s were Ali Bin Abdullah Al Owais and his son Sultan Al Owais. Thanks to their help and that of Emirates NBD, visitors can now admire the most beautiful pearls in the Pearl Museum in Dubai. There are unique collections that can be admired for art and jewelry lovers.
Visit the museum
Have you become enthusiastic about the history of this pearl trade? Take a look at the museum. A visit to the Pearl Museum must be booked in advance at Emirates NBD. The museum prefers groups of 8 to 10 people with a maximum of 20 people. For more information about the Pearl Museum, visit the official website of the museum.
The museum is located on the 15th floor of the Emirates NDB office in Deira, next to the Imperial Hotel Apartment.
