The Yusupov black pearl necklace belonged to Catherine the Great. From there, it’s a tale of incest, true love, revolution, robbery, and infidelity…with a special guest appearance by the HMS Titanic.
I know, I know – this site is supposed to be about tiaras. But sometimes I find a story I can’t resist. Which means I hope you can’t resist, either. Like the Yusupov black pearl necklace. Its story has everything from an ancient curse to a duel, revolution, backroom swindles, the Titanic, infidelity, and an eggnog recipe. You see? Sometimes it’s worth stepping away from tiaras for just a moment.

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