Pearls spent most of the last century filed under inheritance, worn once a year and otherwise kept in a drawer. They have been dragged back out by a generation with no interest in the etiquette attached to them. What is happening now is less a revival than a repurposing.
Pearls Escaped The Jewelry Box
Jewelry
The single strand is being worn in ways its original owners would find alarming, which is exactly why it works. Stripped of the twinset it reads modern rather than inherited.
Butterfly with Pearl Drop Earrings
ANABEL ARAM JEWELRY
$100
Medium Baroque Pearl Paracord Bracelet, Blue
ZOE CHICCO
$150
Gold Stone and Pearly Cluster Earrings
BEN-AMUN
$180
Parisian Pearl Earrings, White
NICKHO REY
$225
Mother-of-Pearl Single Heart Necklace
JAN LESLIE
$295
Single Petal Mother of Pearl Drop Necklace
JAN LESLIE
$395
Ocean Connection 14K Emerald and Pearl Bracelet
JIA JIA
$490
Wild Poppy Pearly Earrings
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
$690
Nevada Pearl and Turquoise Double Strand Necklace
JIA JIA
$790
8mm Pure Happy Face Rondelle on Pearl Bracelet
SYDNEY EVAN
$935
14K Yellow Gold Stella Freshwater Pearl Earring, Single (Right)
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$1,075
Celeste 18k Gold Pearl Drop Earrings
L. KLEIN
$1,415
14K Yellow Gold Link Bracelet with Wood, Turquoise and Pearls
MEREDITH FREDERICK
$1,780
14K Yellow Gold 3mm Akoya Large Hoop Earrings
MIZUKI
$2,395
14K Yellow Gold Multi-Size White Freshwater Pearl Strand Necklace
MIZUKI
$3,130
14K Yellow Gold Vertical Diamond Bar Necklace with Freshwater Pearl, 20"L
MIZUKI
$3,995
Akoya Pearl Hand-Twisted 18K Yellow Gold Earrings
HAUTE VICTOIRE
$5,200
Peggy Rosette Graduated Freshwater Pearl Necklace with Bow
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$6,410
18K Yellow Gold Pearl and Diamond Sequence Earrings
PAUL MORELLI
$9,400
Lotus Diamond and Pearl Flourish Earrings
KAMAL
$11,500
18K Yellow Gold Freshwater Pearl Station Necklace, 22"L
DARIUS
$32,500
Orchid Pearl Drop Earrings
ANABEL ARAM JEWELRY
$125
Gold Pearly and Stone Ring
BEN-AMUN
$155
Long Drop Pearly Earrings
BEN-AMUN
$185
More Jewelry
The baroque pearl did most of the work in changing minds. Irregular, lumpy and obviously natural, it broke the association with formality faster than any marketing could.
Byzantine Linear Earrings
BEN-AMUN
$245
Mussel Pearly Drop Clip-On Earrings
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
$340
Gumball Earrings
PRESLEY OLDHAM
$400
Ocean Connection Pink Sapphire and Pearl Bracelet
JIA JIA
$490
Sweet Tart Baroque Pearl Choker Necklace with Blue Topaz Trillion Inset
PAIGE NOVICK
$700
Cocoon Necklace
PRESLEY OLDHAM
$820
14K Amethyst and Freshwater Pearl Terry Bracelet
MEREDITH FREDERICK
$945
Full Freshwater Pearl Strand Necklace with Large Center
MIZUKI
$1,115
14k Diamond Evil Eye and Pearl Necklace
SYDNEY EVAN
$1,440
14k Pearl Stud Diamond Evil Eye Earring, Single
SYDNEY EVAN
$1,835
Tahitian Pearl Hand Twisted Ring, Size 7
HAUTE VICTOIRE
$2,600
14K Yellow Gold Freshwater Pearl Earrings
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$3,260
14K Recycled Gold Colona Earrings with Freshwater Pearls
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$4,200
18K Yellow Gold Wind Chime Earrings with Akoya Pearls, 36mm
PAUL MORELLI
$5,200
LEGGO Pearl Tennis Bracelet
TYPE JEWELRY
$6,700
Gold Chain and Charm Tassel Necklace
GRAZIA AND MARICA VOZZA
$9,570
18K Yellow Gold Pearl and Diamond Sequence Bracelet
PAUL MORELLI
$13,000
Long Blue Sapphire and South Sea Pearl Earrings
BRENT NEALE
$40,000
Cubic Zirconia Orchid Pearl Drop Earrings
ANABEL ARAM JEWELRY
$125
Medium Baroque Pearl Paracord Necklace, Brown
ZOE CHICCO
$165
Still more Jewelry
Mixing pearls with gold is the other unlock. Once a pearl sits next to a chain it stops being a costume and starts being jewelry.
Francis Necklace with Freshwater Pearls and Heishi Beads
ELSIE FRIEDA
$210
Pearly, Rose Quartz and Amazonite Earrings
BEN-AMUN
$245
Wild Poppy Pearly Ring
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
$340
Dioses Earrings with Pearls
RANJANA KHAN
$425
Cactus Crystal with Pearly Bead and Ball Earrings
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
$560
6mm Eternity Heart Diamond Rondelle on Pearl Stretch Bracelet
SYDNEY EVAN
$705
Lake Mismatched Pearl Linear Earrings
BEATRIZ PALACIOS
$850
Ocean Jumbo Emerald and Pearl Necklace
JIA JIA
$990
14K Yellow Gold 1 Row Diamond Cube Ear Cuff with Pearl, Single
MIZUKI
$1,150
Ruban De Perle Short 2-Strand Drop Earrings in Freshwater Pearls
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$1,600
14K Gold & Diamond Marquise Eye Pearl Earrings
SYDNEY EVAN
$2,080
Embrasse de Perle Graduated Loop Earrings, Single, Right
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$2,780
Grande Rosette De Pearls Large Bow Earrings in Freshwater Pearls
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$3,300
18K Yellow Gold Cuff Earring with Akoya Pearl, Single
MIZUKI
$4,240
Pearl Trundle Lock Ring in 18K Yellow Gold
MARLA AARON
$5,500
Ram Multi Charm Necklace
HAUTE VICTOIRE
$6,900
18K Yellow Gold Sequence Pearl Necklace, 18"L
PAUL MORELLI
$9,800
18K Yellow Gold Horizon Earrings with 13mm South Sea Pearls and Rose Cut Diamonds
MIZUKI
$16,305
One-of-a-Kind Torque Necklace with South Sea Pearls and Round Diamonds
BRENT NEALE
$42,500
Venus Bracelet with Pearlized Shell
PAIGE NOVICK
$150
Even more Jewelry
Ear pieces are where the category grew fastest, because they are the lowest-commitment way to test an idea you were raised to think of as old. It is the lowest-commitment way to test an idea you were raised to think of as old.
Medium Baroque Pearl Paracord Necklace
ZOE CHICCO
$165
24k Electroplated Gold Mixed-Stone Drop Earrings
BEN-AMUN
$210
9mm Freshwater Pearl Bracelet with Gold Vermeil Perforated Ball
PAIGE NOVICK
$250
Madre Pearl, Aventurine and Rose Crystal Clip Earrings
BEN-AMUN
$345
Ocean 14K Gold and Pearl Bracelet
JIA JIA
$440
Sprout Necklace
PRESLEY OLDHAM
$560
14K Half Pave Heart Charm on Pearl Stretch Bracelet
SYDNEY EVAN
$750
Bain Perle Double Hoop Earring with Freshwater Pearls and 14K Yellow Gold, Single
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$885
14K Yellow Gold Freshwater Pearl and Hessonite Isabel Bracelet
MEREDITH FREDERICK
$1,000
14k Diamond Bar & Pearl Earrings
SYDNEY EVAN
$1,155
Bow Rosette Dangle Earrings
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$1,630
14K Gold Pearl Birthstone Necklace
TRACEE NICHOLS
$2,200
14K Yellow Gold Embrasse de Perle Graduating Freshwater Pearl Earring, Single (Left)
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$2,780
Fringe Necklace with Multicolor Pearls, 17"L
PRESLEY OLDHAM
$3,400
14K Gold Bezel Evil Eye Charm Freshwater Pearl Necklace
SYDNEY EVAN
$4,260
Diamond Pavé Balls on 3mm Freshwater Pearl Bracelet
SYDNEY EVAN
$5,765
Andromeda Pearl Earrings
HAUTE VICTOIRE
$7,500
18K Yellow Gold White Akoya Pearl and Diamond Drop Short Earrings
MIZUKI
$10,760
18K Yellow Gold Eve Necklace with 12mm South Sea Pearl, 15"L
MIZUKI
$16,850
18K Yellow Gold Re-Worked Vintage Necklace with Pearls, Diamonds, Emeralds and Sapphires
EMILY P. WHEELER
$130,000
Yet more Jewelry
The last run leans into the stranger end, where pearls get combined with stones and shapes that have nothing to do with tradition. Once a pearl sits next to something unexpected, the inherited association finally breaks.
Medium Baroque Pearl Paracord Bracelet, Brown
ZOE CHICCO
$150
Gold Stone and Pearly Earrings
BEN-AMUN
$180
Gold Chain Toggle Necklace with Pearly Drop
BEN-AMUN
$220
Stone and Pearly Choker Necklace
BEN-AMUN
$295
Clip-On Bow Dangle Earrings with Pearl
RANJANA KHAN
$375
Speckle Necklace with Baroque Pearls and Japanese Glass
PRESLEY OLDHAM
$460
Hammered Pearly Large Drop Earrings
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
$590
Trail Mix Necklace with Multicolor Pearls
PRESLEY OLDHAM
$780
Pearly Nest Cuff Bracelet
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
$890
14K Diamond Moroccan Flower on Pearl Stretch Bracelet
SYDNEY EVAN
$1,045
14K Large Evil Eye Charm on Peach Coral Bracelet
SYDNEY EVAN
$1,265
14K Recycled Yellow Gold Stella Necklace with Freshwater Pearls
SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE
$1,725
14K Gold & Diamond Rose Pearl Earrings
SYDNEY EVAN
$2,255
Audrey 14k Gold and Pearl Bracelet
MEREDITH FREDERICK
$3,115
Diamond Pave Lotus Pearl Pendant Necklace
KAMAL
$3,950
18K Yellow Gold Freshwater Pearl Drop Hoop Earrings
DARIUS
$4,800
14K Diamond Heart and Pearl Charm Necklace
SYDNEY EVAN
$6,130
Ebony and Pearl Necklace with Tiger's Eye Heart
GRAZIA AND MARICA VOZZA
$8,065
18K Pearl and Diamond Beaching Earrings
BOOCHIER
$11,125
22K Gold Pearl Ring with Diamonds
ARMAN SARKISYAN
$23,520
Our honest take
Our honest take: pearls came back because they are the rare fine-jewelry material that looks better slightly wrong. Perfectly matched and correctly worn they still read as a costume, and the whole revival depends on nobody doing that.
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