These versatile, lustrous treasures compliment every wearer, come in multiple varieties, and will keep going strong in 2020, says Peggy Grosz, senior vice president at Assael.
Why are pearls still so popular?
No other gem than pearls can claim all of the following: Pearls look good on everyone. They are never too formal or too casual. Their luster can make your face glow. You can wear them at every age. They are the opposite of fragile. They are the planet’s most earth-friendly gem. Clean water and a good ecosystem are required to grow pearls.
Which type of pearls are the most mainstream in fine jewelry?
In more commercial or price-sensitive jewelry, freshwater pearls are most used. The layer of nacre (which gives them their luster) is thinner because the mollusc stays in the water for a very short period of time, giving the mollusc less time to produce layers of nacre.
Akoya (Japanese cultured pearls) are probably the most well-known. Their lustre is unsurpassed. [Jewelry designer] Mikimoto has given Akoya pearls huge exposure.
South Sea pearls — white Australian and Burmese [specimens]; grey, black and colored Tahitians; and golden pearls from the Philippines and Indonesia — are used in fine jewelry because of their size, which is considerably larger than Akoya.
Who are the most interesting designers using pearls at the moment?
I think the most interesting designs in pearls come from both large brands and small independent designers.
Tasaki has Prabal Gurung as creative director doing some daring designs, as well as Melanie Georgacopoulos doing very modern, innovative and wearable collections under the name MG/Tasaki. [Georgacopoulos] also has her own namesake company and is quite respected for her innovative Nacre collection, using the pearls’ outer nacre to create shapes that are anything but round.
Sean Gilson for Assael makes the pearl look modern and powerful, particularly in his award-winning Pearl Bubbles collection. The newest collaboration collection is Geometrix, a more diminutive group that gives an edge to the classic pearl stud earring.
What styles are showing up in collections and will be hot in 2020?
Long ropes of pearls that can be worn in multiple ways, a continuation of the style in which pearls drop from the earlobe, and the return of the pearl ring.
What essential pearl jewelry should retailers offer their customers?
Any and every jewelry retailer must offer classic Akoya pearl strands and stud earrings, as well as current drop-style earrings. If they are a fine, higher-end retailer, [they should carry] South Sea pearls in all forms, especially modern, new designs.
Main image: Bubble ring by Sean Gilson for Assael featuring 16 Japanese Akoya cultured pearls.
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