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The rare 50.6 carat pearl is known as La Peregrina, and it was discovered off the Gulf of Panama in the 1500s. It is believed to have once belonged to King Philip II of Spain and later to Spanish queens Margaret and Elizabeth. The latter wore it when Velasquez painted her 17th-century portrait. The treasure went into French hands in the 19th century when Napoleon’s brother, Joseph Bonaparte, briefly ruled Spain.

The Hollywood legend was renowned for her love of diamonds and emeralds and received many as gifts from her twice husband Richard Burton. It was Burton who bought her La Peregrina for $37,000 at auction, outbidding a member of the Spanish royal family. The star of Cleopatra died in Los Angeles in March at the age of 79, and part of the proceeds of the auction will go to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which she established in 1991.

This Saturday is New Year’s Eve and people all over the world are getting ready to celebrate this great event! Here you can read some interesting traditions from all over the world. Mexican families decorate homes and parties with colours such as red, to encourage an improvement of lifestyle and love, yellow to encourage blessings of improved employment conditions, green to improve financial circumstances and white to improve health.

In Austria at exactly midnight, radio and television programmes broadcast the sound of the Pummerin, the bell of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. Right after that, the “Donauwalzer” (“The Blue Danube”) by Johann Strauss II is played, and many people dance at parties or on the street.

‘BleigieΒen’ is a German New Year’s Eve custom which involves telling fortunes by the shapes made by molten lead dropped into cold water. Other luck bringing things are touching a chimney sweeper or having him rub some ash onto your forehead for good luck and health.

In Italy, there are a set of rituals for the New Year, such as wearing red underwear and getting rid of old or unused items by dropping them from the window. It is also believed that eating grapes, lentils and dates is a good omen.

In Japan, Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times at midnight. This tradition is called joya no kane (除夜の鐘) which means “bell rings on New Year Eve’s night.” The rings represent 108 elements of bono (煩悩), defilements, or Kilesa in Sanskrit, which people have in their mind.

Philippines traditions include the serving of circularly shaped fruits, shaking of coins inside a metal casserole while walking around the house and jumping up high which is believed to cause an increase in physical height. People also make loud noises by blowing on cardboard or plastic horns, called “torotot”, banging on pots and pans or by igniting firecrackers and fireworks at the stroke of midnight, in the belief that it scares away malevolent spirits and forces.