Caribbean to Macau
The story of the Dragon’s Egg begins in the Caribbean where this remarkable 86-carat white conch pearl was initially found - probably in the 1950s or 60s, though it is impossible to say with complete certainty. We do know that scientists and marine biologists agree that for a pearl to grow to the size of the The Dragon’s Egg, it would have remained in a living giant conch shell for over 100 years. To this day, it is nearly twice as large as any other white conch pearl ever found.
A decade or two after the pearl was found, a British sea captain acquired it from local traders on an unknown Caribbean island, though few details are known about the actual transaction. But the captain was an avid gambler and world traveler. He carried the pearl with him to Hong Kong. And then to a casino in Macau. Unfortunately, our sea captain had a streak of bad luck and left the casino deeply in debt. In order to clear the ledger - and quite possibly to save his life - he offered up his most prized possession. The huge pearl.
The casino accepted the beautiful and rare pearl as payment in full. The debt was settled. The pearl had a new owner. The sea captain was off the hook, and the pearl’s journey began a new chapter.
Hong Kong to small village in the Alps
The casino owner brought the pearl back to Hong Kong where he engaged the finest jeweler in Asia - a Faberge-quality artist - to create a setting worthy of the pearl itself. Dragons and the Year of the Dragon are important symbols in Chinese culture, so the jeweler set the pearl in the talons of an intricately detailed 24-carat gold dragon ringed with rare orange and red rubies. And as one of the finest jewelers in Asia, he designed the setting to encase the pearl without ever penetrating its surface, thus preserving it in perfect condition. The beautiful and rare white conch pearl, the largest ever found, now had a name. The Dragon’s Egg.
At this point, the story takes an unusual turn. A German collector from a small village at the base of the Alps acquired the Dragon’s Egg. Nothing is known about how this collector found his way to Hong Kong. That remains a mystery. But he ultimately included his Dragon’s Egg with a number of other precious and rare pieces in a spectacular display at The Tucson Gem Show, the world’s largest such show described as “a playground for the world of international gem and mineral trading, collecting, and treasure hunting.”
Germany to Tucson, AZ
It was in Tucson that a quiet, unassuming Australian gemstone trader and collector named Wayne Roland Brown came across one of the most extraordinary and unusual pieces he’d encountered in his 40+ years of collecting. The 86.24-carat pearl was far and away the largest he had ever seen, and the setting was beyond words. He could not get the piece out of his mind and he made an offer for it at the end of the Tucson show. The Dragon’s Egg was now headed for Brisbane, Australia.
Tucson to Nashville
But that was not the end of the journey. Mr. Brown, who now lives in Nashville part-time, befriended a dashing young club owner named Joshua Sterling Smith who shares a common passion for precious stones. As they spent time together, Wayne eventually showed Joshua the Dragon’s Egg. Joshua felt the stunning and historic piece would make the perfect first impression to his private club, as guests enter the second floor Member’s area of the 1843-vintage Standard Club in downtown Nashville.
The Dragon’s Egg has been around the world and lived a most interesting life. From the gambling sea captain to the quiet German precious stone trader to its current Nashville club owner. But The Dragon’s Egg has found its permanent home at The Standard.
Unless history decides otherwise.
