The largest freshwater pearl block in the world is worth 632,000 USD

Pearl Block Sleepy Lion is about to be auctioned in the Netherlands dating back over 300 years and originated from China.

The world's largest freshwater pearl block is about to be sold at the Venduehuis auction house in The Hague, Netherlands on May 31, according to CNN. Named "Sleeping Lion" (Sleepy Lion) due to its unique shape, this rare natural pearl weighs nearly 120 grams and 7 cm long. Sleeping Lion has an estimated price of USD 632,000.

Pearl blocks have a special size and shape.(Photo: Venduehuis).

In addition to the lion's size and shape, the pearl block is also famous for its 300-year history, through many European merchants, aristocrats and royalty. Sleeping Lion originates from China, believed to have formed during the period of 1700 - 1760 during the Qing Dynasty, according to Venduehuis. After discovering the pearl block, Dutch merchants brought it to Batavia today, Jakarta and then transported to Europe.

Sleeping Lion underwent his first auction in 1778 after the death of his employer was a wealthy merchant from Dutch East India and entered the hands of Catherine the Great and the Russian queen. The pearl came back in Poland in the middle of the 19th century and was bought by the goldsmith for Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of Italy.

After several times by the hands of European jewelers, the pearl block belonged to the Amsterdam Pearl Association in 1979. "What makes this thing even more interesting is that it has come a long way since the 18th century. " , Peter Meefout, director of auction house Venduehuis, commented.

In recent decades, pearls have become the object of research for both historians and jewelers. The study published in Gemology magazine in 2014 found that although the size and shape of Sleeping Lion is quite unusual, the internal classification is suitable for freshwater pearls formed in nature.