
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Pearls: Neue Halsketten
- 2–6 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2019

2019
Rules assistance for Pearls
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pearls is a board game released in 2019 for 2–6 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Knut Happel and Christian Fiore and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Market.
In Pearls, players dive for valuable pearls, then try to sell them at local markets. You either collect or score pearl cards of the same color (and value) on your turn. Cards with higher value score more points, but are less common. Pearls with lower value may seem weaker at first, but if you score a larger quantity of cards at once, you receive a necklace card with bonus points, if available. With a hand limit of ten cards, however, this requires clever hand management and timing. At the end of the game, all pearl and necklace cards in your scoring piles score positive points and any cards left in your hand score minus points. The player with the highest total score wins.
Pearls supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Pearls is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Pearls for ages 6 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Pearls has a complexity rating of 1.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Pearls belongs to these categories: Card Game and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Market. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Pearls are: Knut Happel and Christian Fiore. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Pearls as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.