Strings attached: Pearls at the V&A - in pictures

The pearl necklace that baseball player Joe DiMaggio gave Marilyn Monroe during their 1954 honeymoon in Japan outlasted their marriage Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Marilyn Monroe wearing the pearl necklace at divorce court in 1954 before testifying against DiMaggio Photograph: AP

Status symbols … this third-century Roman gold hair ornament is set with pearls, emeralds and sapphires. Pearls were a mark of luxury and wealth across the Roman Empire Photograph: The Trustees of the British Museum

Dark beauty … this French brooch of natural brown pearls, with platinum and diamonds, was made in 1900 Photograph: Albion Art

Collector's item … the Rosebery pearl and diamond tiara was made in London around 1878 and belonged to Lady Rosebery, famed for her collection of jewels. It reportedly sold at Christie's in 2011 for more than £1m Photograph: Christie's Images

Natural pearls, like the ones in this 16th century German cross pendant, are found in one in 2,000 shells, say historians. The four here are surrounded by gold and rubies Photograph: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Qatar Museums Authority Collection loaned this selection of rare natural pearls. According to the V&A, the Arabian Gulf was a key supplier of natural pearls by the 19th century Photograph: Christian Creutz

Collared! This 1930s Cartier necklace features natural Gulf pearls and platinum and diamond clasps Photograph: Sotheby's

Bow-ed over … these gold, natural seed pearl and diamond earrings were made in France between 1795 and 1810 Photograph: Dominic Naish/Victoria and Albert Museum, London

In the 19th century, when this coloured gold necklace was made, pearls 'embellished more intimate or "sentimental" jewellery to convey personal messages celebrating love or expressing grief', according to the V&A Photograph: Victoria and Albert Museum, LondonVictoria and Albert Museum, London

This bodice ornament was made around 1900-1901 by the Parisian jeweller and goldsmith Georges Fouquet. It features gold with enamel, turquoise, abalone pearl and mother-of-pearl
Photograph: Rüdiger Flöter/ADAGP/DACS

Vietnam-born artist Sam Tho Duong created the necklace Frozen from silver, nylon and and freshwater pearls. Tho Duong was born in Vietnam and spent his teenaged years in the Germany jewellery and watch-making city of Pforzheim
Photograph: Marc Pelletreau/Samar Kassab/Qatar Museums Authority

London jeweller Geoffrey Rowlandson designed and made Grand Jeté from gold, diamonds and two cultured baroque pearls Photograph: Geoffrey Rowlandson