More than a half-century ago, Jacquie Kennedy Onassis noted, pearls are always appropriate. And, more than a half-century later, her words were never truer. Today, pearls continue to inspire designers in countless creative ways.
For decades, the traditional necklace made of Japanese white akoya pearls was the absolute reference of femininity, elegance and style, worn by the most iconic women of their time. And, while large-diameter, perfectly round, lustrous pearls still often remain reserved for very high-end brands, interest has grown dramatically over the last decade or so for pearls in non-round shapes and non-white colours. This is the time of the Baroque Pearl.
This rise in appreciation for unusual and organic shapes in pearls seems to be in parallel with the appreciation by consumers for imperfections in their gem-set jewellery. Jewels featuring included gemstones and gemstones in matrix, once considered not worthy of fine jewellery, are now very much en vogue. Consumers, especially millennials, consider these imperfect specimens to be the fanciful whims of Mother Nature, and thus worthy of attention, in both pearls and gemstones.
Baroque pearls are embraced for their individuality, distinctiveness and their informality. Yet, lest one think that they are merely worn as strands of pearls alone − a trend that is also enjoying rising popularity along with a rise in prices − jewellery designers are using these irregular pearls to create original works of wearable art. Some may form the basis of one-of-a-kind designs with added gems and diamonds. Others may have their surface drilled and in-set with gems and diamonds. Some others may even be sawed in half, hollowed out and then set with gems and diamonds. The possibilities are as endless as the imagination of designers who create exquisite baroque pearl designs based on their asymmetry and nuanced colours.
Here is a look at three quite different approaches taken by three designers who are creatively exploring the beauty and uniqueness of baroque pearls.
Alessio Boschi
Noted Italian designer, Alessio Boschi, takes a Precious Journey with all his jewellery. Whether re-creating the Roman Coliseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa or evoking the domes of a Maharaja’s palace, his jewels tell a story. In one of his recent collections, Boschi moved from architecture and culture to the oceans, with a collection of amazing sea creatures crafted from baroque pearls and coloured gemstones. Among his Fishes collection is a true masterpiece − a 15-cm long Great White Shark brooch.
“The spark of creation began when I found an extraordinary silver-blue Australian South Sea keshi pearl in the shape of a shark’s face, with a recessive bump that looks as though its mouth is opening. After much research, we finally found several pearls for the shape, colour and quality to reproduce the shark’s fin,” Boschi said. Next, the designer looked for a special gemstone with a very particular colour − between blue and grey with a turquoise-greenish sub-tone to capture the hue of the predator’s body. “We decided on indicolite and shades of round aquamarine in mixed sizes,” he said.
Concerned about the future of these amazing creatures, Boschi is donating part of the sale price to an organisation devoted to protecting the sharks. Some of his other sea creatures immortalised in baroque pearls are the seahorse, clown fish, goldfish, angelfish, fighting fish, starfish, squid, octopus, and more.
Little H
Born in Japan and growing up between Tokyo and Los Angeles, Hisano Shepherd found her inspiration for jewellery at a young age. After formal studies, she launched her Little H jewellery brand in 2011, using exotic baroque Tahitian and South Sea pearls as well as refined freshwater seed pearls. “When I first started designing with pearls, I noticed that the pearl jewellery flooding the market all had a similar look. Younger consumers weren’t excited about pearls because the classic look wasn't widely appealing to them. I saw the opportunity to create pearl jewellery in edgy, stylish and unique ways,” she said.
Inspired by the naturally formed crystal geodes sold at the Tucson gem shows, Shepherd began experimenting with slicing hollow freshwater soufflé pearls. “The resulting concave interior is the perfect housing for precious gemstones, resembling a naturally formed geode when set.” Utilising recycled rubies, sapphires and emeralds, she brings new life to the stones, allowing them to sparkle once again in the frame of a baroque pearl. Her original and unusual one-of-a-kind Pearl Geode collection has garnered the designer a number of awards.
Every piece of jewellery is handcrafted in her studio in Los Angeles, California. “Jewellery doesn’t have to come from one source or convey one idea. It can be a collaboration of techniques, ideas and materials that converge together to make different emotions and meanings,” she added.
Samira 13
Captivated by the talismanic and aesthetic qualities of South Sea pearls, designer Samira Sizdahkhani uses these traditional gems in unexpected ways to create her unique and modern designs, while celebrating their imperfections in her brand, Samira 13. Appealing to the young and fashionable, her jewels comprise such edgy themes as spiders, snakes, skulls and horns, among other more traditional motifs.
Sizdahkhani’s pearl pieces embody an array of influences, inspirations, and directions. “I’m also continuing to play with organic shapes, embedding them with diamonds and coloured gemstones or morphing them into various types of skull pendants,” she said. Among her gem- and diamond-set pearls are Tahitian and South Sea baroque varieties. Some are even carved with a celestial pattern and set with diamonds, evoking one of today’s popular jewellery trends.
Some of Sizdahkhani’s recent creations are fringe pearl bracelets and earrings made with diamonds and gold chain as well as keshi pearl studs. All designs are hand-made by Sizdahkhani in her West Hollywood, California atelier using ethical and sustainable practices.
Clearly, the baroque pearl has been taken to new, different, and innovative heights by these three designers, who give these precious living gems a fresh new twist.
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