La Peregrina: The Spanish Crown Pearl Richard Burton Bought for Elizabeth Taylor

For more than 200 years, it belonged to the Kings and Queens of Spain. Then, in 1969, Richard Burton secretly bought it for Elizabeth Taylor for just $37,000.

But this legendary pearl had a history far more extraordinary than anyone imagined.

Known as La Peregrina, the magnificent natural pearl travelled from the waters of Panama to the Spanish royal court, adorned the portraits of queens, survived the turmoil of Napoleon's invasion, and eventually found its way to Hollywood.

Elizabeth Taylor adored wearing it. But one day, the priceless royal jewel mysteriously disappeared inside her Las Vegas hotel suite. The culprit? One of her beloved puppies.

There was also a mystery surrounding its identity. In 1969, the exiled Queen of Spain's household claimed that the real La Peregrina was still in their possession. So which pearl was genuine?

And how did a jewel once declared part of Spain's royal treasury end up around Elizabeth Taylor's neck?

In December 2011, La Peregrina returned to the auction room. After just four and a half minutes of bidding, it sold for an astonishing $11,842,500. The winning bidder, like Richard Burton decades earlier, remained anonymous.

This is the extraordinary story of a royal pearl, a Hollywood love affair, a missing jewel, and a secret that remained hidden for centuries.

Which would you have treasured more — the pearl's royal history or its connection to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton? Tell me in the comments!