Pearlesque Obsessions

Our love affair with these shimmering, otherworldly objects have come to fruition in our latest collection, Astral Spheres.

Pearls have been used as articles of adornment for centuries, dating far back as ancient Egypt, and were probably discovered long ago while human beings searched for food along the seashore. They are formed when a foreign object, such as a grain of sand or shell fragment, is caught or inserted into a mollusk’s tissue. As a method of protection, the mollusk develops layers of smooth, iridescent coating made of calcite and aragonite, called a nacre, around the foreign object and a pearl is formed. There are many types of natural pearls- the round, white versions which are most popular are found in salt water, and asymmetrical, globular pearls of many colors are found in freshwater.

In ancient Rome, Julius Caesar made a decree that only the ruling classes could wear pearls, and in Chinese history pearls were often presented as gifts to royalty. For many years, the Persian Gulf was the center of the pearl trade because of it’s high concentration, and due to the unsafe nature of finding pearls which involved divers risking their lives swimming in waters up to 100 feet deep, the cost of pearls were very high and only the most affluent could afford them. Today, natural pearls are very scarce and can only be found off the coast of Bahrain and Australia, however most natural pearls today are cultivated on farms and are more affordable.

Pearls are thought to bring the wearer balance with the ebb and flow of life, and like most iridescent white stones, clears negativity while also protecting and inspiring calmness. We loved these tiny additions to our signature gold simplicity, and hope you will enjoy wearing them as well.