According to the Google dictionary, Baroque is defined as the following: “relating to or denoting a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that followed Mannerism and is characterized by ornate detail.” Common synonyms for the word include ‘ornate’, ‘fancy’ and ‘elaborate’. Paintings from the baroque era were typically known to include gold, and be framed in large, elaborate frames. The fashion was over the top: frills and large skirts, big hairpieces or hats and layers of jewelry. But when it comes to pearls, another layer of meaning is added to the term ..read more

This is the sixteenth chapter in the story of Alexis, her ancestors, and the heirloom pearl necklace that is handed down from one generation to the next. If you haven’t read the previous chapters yet, click here.  —— Alexis opens her eyes to slits, shielding them from the sun and reaching for her sunglasses. She feels around, blinded by the sun, only to touch Max’s hand. “Oh,” she smiles, the memories of the past few days floating back to her. Turquoise ocean. Bleached-out beaches. Palm trees and open skies. Pure bliss. Not that they haven’t been working. Max threw her when he announced this c ..read more

Your love for pearls inspired us. We decided to say thank you by improving your shopping experience, making it easier to send gifts to your loved ones with personalized gift cards, and to give you some love back in the form of rewards points and affiliate programs.  With almost 500 unique products in our online shop, we appreciate that it can become a bit overwhelming when you’re searching for that perfect gift or that perfect accompaniment to your gorgeous new outfit. So, we added some new functions, including a wish list and a comparison feature, to make your shopping experience easier.  Let ..read more

Whether you have a Valentine or you’re single this year, Valentine’s Day can be fun. We decided to spice up the day with some fun facts you may not know about this widely-celebrated day: It all started in Rome. The most popular origin story is that of St. Valentine, who performed marriage ceremonies in secret after the Roman Emperor, Claudius II, banned young men from getting married. It was said that he wanted to grow his army, and married men don’t make the best soldiers. St. Valentine was executed on February the 14th.  Another theory is that Valentine’s Day derived from Lupercalia, a pagan ..read more

We live in interesting times. The past decade has been tumultuous; we’ve been challenged to think about what we believe in and to take a stand for that. But we’ve also lost the ability to really listen to each other, to listen to different opinions and to communicate with people courteously, no matter how conflicting our opinions are. That is both tiring and destructive – something we all find fatiguing. We’ve also seen tremendous advancements in technology. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with the changes, and many times we’ve been burnt by overly-ambitious promises that never come to fru ..read more

New Year’s Eve is a special evening. It’s the day you celebrate your triumphs of the past year and look forward to all the great things you’re going to achieve in the next.  You want to look your best to set a precedent for the new year. No matter how you want to celebrate – a glamorous gala, a formal dinner, an intimate family gathering, a beach party, or just dancing the night away in a club with your friends – we have the perfect pearl jewelry for you.  Greet the new year in style with one of our pearl jewelry designs.    Dramatic & Daring For a New Year’s party, you can get away with a ..read more

4 weeks before Christmas Matthew looks over to his wife, Becky, as they’re decorating the Christmas tree. He still doesn’t know why she said yes to marry him. And now, she’s carrying their first child. His heart is bursting with love and pride. But he’s also concerned. He promised Becky that he would look after their family, but this year has been tough. He had to take a pay cut a few months ago, and he is concerned about how they’re going to make ends meet, especially once the new baby arrives.  But he has a plan. In his spare time, he’ll take on odd jobs. In fact, his first job starts tomorr ..read more

Pearls are a true treasure of the ocean. Not only did people throughout millennia appreciate and treasure pearls for their exceptional beauty, but pearls captured imaginations and instilled a yearning desire for ownership. What makes pearls so significant compared to other gems is that they don’t need to be cut and polished like others to bring out their beauty – they come out of the oyster in its full glory.  In this third part of the series we’re looking at the influence pearls have had on culture throughout the ages.   Myths and Religious Scripts Pearls are frequently mentioned in religious ..read more

Thanks to the pearl culturing pioneers, who we’ll highlight in this blog, we can now all enjoy these beautiful gems while simultaneously improving the environmental conditions of their breeding ground. In part 1 of this series, we talked about natural pearls and how the greediness of the rich who did not care about the damage they caused, as long as they could get their hands on more pearls, almost led to the extinction of pearls worldwide.  Let’s look at how pearl culturing saved the industry and the environment.   Akoya Pearls The quest to find an alternative solution to opening and discardi ..read more

No-one really knows when pearls were first discovered. It’s possible that fishermen or people searching for food at the coast stumbled upon them by accident. Regardless, pearls have been highly prized for millennia – there’s a good reason why it is called the ‘Queen of gems’. In this 3-part series, we’re highlighting some interesting gems in the history of natural pearls, their near extinction, the advent of cultured pearls which saved mollusks from dying out completely and making it affordable for everyday wear, as well as the influence pearls have had on culture.    The Far East Many believe ..read more