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From the April 2021 issue of #thisispearl digital magazine
When America’s first female vice president was sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021, she wore a purple coat and dress by Christopher John Rogers and a familiar white sight around her neck and on her ears: pearls. This certainly wasn’t the first time a politician has worn pearls, and thankfully it’s far from the last.
Pearls have had a place in American politics for as long as patriotism has existed. From Martha Washington’s and Mary Todd Lincoln’s beloved seed pearls to Ladybird Johnson’s and Jackie Kennedy’s white strands to Barbara and Laura Bush’s South Seas and more, pearl necklaces have been a fixture on the necks of first ladies and other powerful women in politics, who wear them for the understated elegance and classical beauty they offer. Diamonds would be too brash, but pearls? “They’re not ostentatious and they go with everything,” observes longtime Washington, D.C.–based jeweler Ann Hand.
For sure, pearls convey good taste and a femininity that other gems just can’t match. This is why so many female politicians—young and mature, from Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez to Nancy Pelosi—wear them. “It’s hard to be offended by pearl jewelry,” says Diana Singer, president of the American Society of Jewelry Historians.
Of course, pearls have a history of being adored by royalty and elites, but that storied past has evolved, along with pearls, to convey traditional values. Plus, unlike faceted gems with fire and sparkle, pearls won’t overpower the wearer—they enhance her. “Pearls are the only gem that show off the woman instead of the woman showing off the gem,” says Peggy Grosz, director of business and product development for Assael.
Pearls have also historically denoted purity, a characteristic that is meaningful. Pearls don’t require faceting before wear, and Tahitian and South Sea pearls, in particular, don’t need dyes or bleaching. “Pearls have signified truth, trust, and reliability,” notes Jill Newman, a longtime jewelry journalist and a contributor to Town & Country.
For Lauren A. Rothman, founder of Styleauteur in Washington, D.C., a fashion consultancy that caters to businesswomen, including many in politics, pearls are a tool: they’re a timeless accessory that almost all women own. And whether a woman is going into the boardroom or sitting in on a Zoom call, pearls can make her feel and look professional. In a fashion sense, pearls are a unifier for women from both sides of the aisle.
“Women in politics have not dedicated a lot of time to fashion and style, but you can’t make a mistake wearing pearls,” she explains. “In politics, you must be classic and relatable.”
And just like for Vice President Harris, pearls are a nonverbal tool that help capture an audience. From suits with sneakers to denim, “Pearls are that bridge,” adds Rothman.
Pearls—especially large pearls—also suggest power. While the variety of pearls purchased depends on resources, the symbolism is universal. Remember Cleopatra and that crushed pearl in the wine, making it the most lavish dinner party of her time? Or when Coco Chanel gifted beloved pearls to pal Diana Vreeland? These are power moves by women, the “flexing of feminine muscle,” says Singer.
“Pearls almost give you cover for speaking your mind,” observes Sarah Pallone of Ocean’s Cove Jewelry, a onetime public policy appointee who worked for the Obama Administration but has since shifted gears to making jewelry—including many items for Washington, D.C.’s political power brokers. “Pearls are the power suit and tie for women.”
Women in politics have made lasting impressions with their pearl choices. Consider first ladies Barbara and Laura Bush, both of whom loved classic strands of South Sea pearls; U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s oversize strand of Tahitian and mixed colors of South Sea pearls; former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s choker-length strands; and the pearl studs of Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. Representative for New York's 14th congressional district.
And besides Harris’s inauguration day gold and white South Sea necklace, made by Wilfredo Rosada, she is known for wearing other fashion-forward pearl jewelry from makers Irene Neuwirth and Marco Bicego, according to Newman. “She’s showing how the pearl has evolved and how it can be worn in so many different ways, with colorful gemstones, diamonds, and bold gold.” [The veep’s love of pearls stems from her sorority days at Howard University, where the 20 founding members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first black Greek-letter sorority, are referred to as the Twenty Pearls, and each new member is given a badge with 20 pearls.]
Jackie Kennedy’s famous triple-strand of pearls may have been faux—made by Kenneth Jay Lane—but it nabbed a precious price at a 1996 Sotheby’s auction when it sold for more than $200,000. True pearl nerds recognized—and rejoiced—when Gabby Giffords, onetime U.S. congresswoman representing Arizona’s 8th congressional district, wore what looked like a necklace of Sea of Cortez pearls during the 2016 State of the Union address. Other politicians, like former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman, U.S. congresswoman from Michigan’s 12th district Debbie Dingell, and the late associate justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg, have been widely photographed wearing pearls.
Hand has made jewelry to commemorate presidential inaugurations since the first Clinton administration, and both Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright have been photographed wearing a brooch she designed. Not surprisingly, her most famous brooch has a pearl, something even political men admire. When she made a pearl-free version of her signature Eagle pin for an Air Force general, he called to voice a complaint: Where was the pearl? “I knew females would want the pearl but not necessarily the men,” she explains of the omission.
Matthew and Jim Rosenheim, too, have a long history in both pearls and politics. Their store, The Tiny Jewel Box, is a mere seven-minute walk from the White House, and Secretary of State Albright (the first woman to hold the position) has been a well-known patron. Tiny Jewel Box even sold her some of the famous pins featured in her book “Read My Pins.”
“We were so proud to have her wear things from the store,” says Jim Rosenheim, CEO.
Given the lustrous history of these organic gems in D.C. and state capitols nationwide, experts expect the love affair to continue.
The Tiny Jewel Box’s core clientele? Attorneys and lobbyists, who include pearls as a large part of their jewelry wardrobes. “In D.C., if you come on too strong with jewelry or wealth, you could be considered not a serious person,” observes Matthew. “But what we saw with Harris can only help raise the profile of pearls.”
As Jackie Kennedy famously said, “Pearls are always appropriate,” and Newman knows that pearls will never go out of style. “We are going to continue to see a lot of pearls in every style imaginable.”
Grosz agrees, with the caveat that merchants can only sell what they have in store. Given pearls’ high profile, she wonders what that lightbulb moment will be for established jewelry retailers to stock them. “The new generation of retailers associate pearls with fashion and realize what a hugely important category they will be for some time to come,” she says.
Pallone giggles whenever she hears pearls called the hot new trend because they’ve been a mainstay for collectors, including her congressional clients. “Pearls really are the key to bipartisanship,” she says.
Kamala Harris on inauguration day in a gold and white South Sea necklace by Wilfredo Rosado
Photo: Wilfredo Rosado
Laura Bush in golden South Sea pearls at the National Archives Foundation Records of Achievement Annual Award Gala on Oct. 10, 2018
Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for National Archives Foundation
Condoleezza Rice in one of her famous pearl necklaces
Source: @condoleezarice
Nancy Pelosi in her mixed Tahitian and South Sea strand
Source: @speakerpelosi
Debbie Dingell in pearls at a rally
Source: @repdingell
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in pearl studs at a rally
Photo: Dreamstime
Former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina in pearls
Photo: Dreamstime
Barbara Bush in one of her famous pearl necklaces
Source: @bushfdn
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From the December 2020 issue of #thisispearl digital magazine
Snowflake pearl and diamond earrings from Mastoloni Pearls
This year marks Eichhorn Jewelry’s 55th year in business, and pearl sales at the Decatur, Ind., store show no signs of stopping. “We’ve changed up designs—from classic akoyas to mixes of South Seas and Tahitians to all the funky freshwaters—a lot since the beginning, but we’ve just had our best year ever for pearls,” says Eileen Eichhorn, owner.
Eichhorn and other fans of the organic gem know there’s not a trend with which the pearl doesn’t work. From linear earrings to seed pearls for studs to mixed bead and pearl strands to the uniform luster of high-end pearl collars worn by political powerhouses, the pearl is adaptable and ideal to suit every look. Pearls may be a timeless gem steeped in history, but there’s an undeniable new wave of enthusiasm bringing them fresh appreciation.
“Pearls can be substituted for any gem,” says Elizabeth Kirby of Elizabeth Blair Fine Pearls in Harbor Springs, Mich. Kirby has them in stretchy bracelets, chandelier earrings, layered and station necklaces, knuckle rings, seed chokers, and headbands. “People walk into my store and say, ‘Boy, I bet you are glad pearls are back in style,’ and I say, ‘For me, they’ve never left.’”
Pearls & Trends
Pearls remain a fixture in fashion shows (think Chanel), and they’re also a familiar sighting in the collections of contemporary jewelry designers. Consider Alexis Mazza of LexiMazz Designs in Islip, N.Y., who won a Luster award in last year’s International Pearl Design Competition for her Diana’s Love heart hoop earrings featuring white freshwater pearls. The earrings took a familiar and trendy concept—hoop earrings—and added a twist.
“It’s Chanel with an edge,” she says of how fans of her work see her pearl-intense line.
Large 60 mm hoops in 14k yellow gold with 6 mm freshwater pearls, $1,520; LexiMazz Designs
Jewelry designer and architect Rosa Van Parys of the eponymous firm based in Westlake Village, Calif., agrees. Van Parys creates pearl hoop earrings for confident women and has built her jewelry business on “elegance with an edge,” she says. Her DNA, however, is one-of-a-kind convertible dagger pendants and earrings with oversize South Sea pearls. In fact, a one-of-a-kind pearl dagger necklace took the Best Use of Color award in the most recent American Gem Trade Association’s Spectrum awards.
Elise + Zaha Petite Dagger Pearl earrings in 18k yellow gold with a pair of 12.2 mm Tahitian pearls, 1.4 cts. t.w. colorless diamonds, 0.82 ct. t.w. pink sapphires, and 0.76 ct. t.w. tsavorite garnets, $15,456; email Sales@rosavanparys.com with purchase inquiries
For sure, pearls work in many current looks. Think enamel, fringe, on men, and even as strings for medical masks, thank you, coronavirus. Pearls are a versatile and neutral tool and are even showing up in some engagement rings.
“Many have preconceived notions about who might want that piece of pearl jewelry, but I’m telling you it’s not the ones who you think might want it,” says Eichhorn.
She’s also been adding gemstones to dated strands for customers eager to get a more modern aesthetic and wear out of family heirlooms. “It’s better than just throwing grandma’s pearls in a drawer,” she says.
And in today’s Zoom, work-from-home culture, pearls can be a wardrobe boon. Pearls have a big presence, unlike diamonds. “Who can afford a 15 mm diamond?” muses designer Lika Behar. “But you can afford a 15 mm baroque pearl.”
Rachel Quinn has also taken part in the pearl’s reimagination. The Los Angeles–based jeweler’s puffed heart creations in silver and gold use freshwater pearls as pincushions, and her cloud-shape pearls are renowned for their clever weather vibe. Another piece on the horizon? A ghost-shape pearl pendant dubbed My Boo. “Pearls add theater to my work,” she says.
Puffed heart necklace in sterling silver with freshwater pincushion pearls, $860; Rachel Quinn
Pearl Possibilities
Considering pearls represent just 3 percent of jewelers’ annual sales, there’s infinite possibility for category growth. Thanks to the recent presidential election, pearls are getting a nice boost from female politicians—hello, Kamala Harris—and some high-profile designer collaborations.
In recent years, Mikimoto teamed up with Comme des Garçons to debut a collection of chain and pearl jewelry for men to wear (though it’s unisex in appearance) in Mikimoto X Comme des Garçons, while longtime jeweler and pearl lover Melanie Georgacopoulos has worked with Tasaki on several collections.
East Providence, R.I.–based pearl jewelry maker Imperial Pearl knows what it’s like to be ahead of a trend. The manufacturer debuted a pearl and chain necklace a couple of years ago that didn’t take off right away. “Timing is everything,” says Kathy Grenier, director of business development and marketing director for the Cultured Pearl Association of America (which owns this magazine). Still, she’s smitten with the idea and thinks others should be, too. “You need to have a focal point in your case to excite customers and keep stock interesting, even if they don’t buy it.”
And while some eschew certain looks—like pearls in rings or bracelets—out of fear of damage, daredevils exist. “I bought blue jeans with actual freshwater pearls on them,” says Eichhorn. The cost? “It was stupid money, but we won’t go there.”
Storm cloud pearl jewelry from Rachel Quinn
Lustrous Landscape
Pearl devotees suggest keeping an open mind when it comes to the category. Everyone can wear a pearl, and contemporary pearl jewelry designs can nod to trends like stacking pieces, elevate and modernize classic styles (like a strand of carved pearls), or offer a completely new perspective for emerging collectors, like Van Parys’s daggers. Plus, variety of pearl type, prices, colors, and provenance (pearls have an unparalleled sustainability story that money can’t buy) have diverse appeal. From inexpensive and pretty colored freshwater pearls to unusual baroques that can double as literal objects to gemstone bead and South Sea or akoya pearl ensembles in today’s super casual but chic styling, pearls can be as trendy, classic, or unexpected as wearers desire.
“Pearls are timeless but there is a trend happening with them,” says Quinn. “People are doing things with pearls that they’ve never done before.”
Travis Kukovich of William Travis Jewelry in Chapel Hill, N.C., knows this firsthand. His custom pearl parasol pendants don’t sit for long in his cases. Ditto for all the carved and faceted pearls he bought at the gem shows in Tucson last year. A recent sale? A $30,000 pearl parasol necklace with a Tahitian pearl and blue and green diamonds. “The white strand for the sorority girl has gone away,” he observes.
Just don’t relegate the pearl to a staid corner; they can be worn on any occasion. “Don’t keep pearls separate—they can be everything,” says Grenier.
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