The ‘Palawan Princess’, the second largest pearl in the world, of five pounds and 11, 339 carats and valued between $300,000 and $400,000, will be auctioned by Bonhams and Butterfields on December 6, 2009 at the Natural History holiday auction, in Los Angeles. The pearl was discovered off the Philippine coast.

The natural non-nacreous pearl measures six inches in diameter. According to the auction house, the world’s largest pearl is the ’Pearl of Allah,’ a 14 pound 31,893.5-carat pearl.

Included amongst the lots on offer at the auction will be rare gemstones, gold, gold nuggets and native metals, reports say.