perla

1. bead
   Ćerka pravi narukvice od šarenih perli. — My daughter makes bracelets out of colourful beads.
2. pearl
   Nosila je ogrlicu od pravih perli. — She was wearing a necklace of real pearls.
3. formal (of a place, thing) gem; jewel
   Ovo selo je prava perla Zlatibora. — This village is a true gem of Zlatibor.

For real pearls biser is more common; perla more often means a bead. In the figurative sense ('gem of a region') biser is also the usual word: biser Zlatibora, biser Jadrana.