September 18, 2013

Put on Your Pearls, Girls!

To quote the divine Lulu Guinness… And if you love pearls like I do, then the V&A Museum in London is the place to be for their pearl for the next several months. image

While gemstones go in and out of fashion (think pink diamonds), pearls have managed to be both classic and contemporary for centuries. Which is just about the span of the jewelry shown at the V&A. Examples go back to the Roman Empire.image

Did you know that the colour of a pearl is dictated by their shells, which range in shades from white to pistachio green, pink, gold and aubergine. image

French brooch of natural brown pearls, with platinum and diamonds, made in 1900image

The Rosebery pearl and diamond tiara was made in London around 1878 and belonged to Lady Rosebery,
famed for her collection of jewels. It reportedly sold at Christie's in 2011 for more than £1m.image

This 1930s Cartier necklace features natural Gulf pearls and platinum and diamond claspsimage

London jeweler Geoffrey Rowlandson designed and made Grand Jeté from gold, diamonds and two cultured baroque pearlsimage

Do you have pearls? Do you wear them? For me, it’s yes to both!

13 comments:

  1. I love seeing these gorgeous vintage gems...I would love to wear the last, Grand Jete".

    xoxo
    Karena
    2013 Artist Series!

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  2. I had no idea they came in different colors - this is eye opening! I always secretly adore jewelry exhibits especially as interesting as this -I wish I could visit!

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  3. I love wearing pearls. I have a strand of real pinkish ones, and a basket of costume that I love just as much. I'd wear that tiara in a heartbeat!!

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  4. The Marilyn Monroe pearls were inherited by Susan Strasberg (daughter of Lee.) That family got it's clutches on a lot of Monroe's estate. I always found them to be manipulative. I have my mother's pearls, an earlier relative's baroque pearls, another pearl ring inherited from a relative and my own pearls as well as black pearls, so "yes," I have pearls in my life. I would love some oddly colored ones like peach or pistachio.

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  5. I love pearls, they go with everything, even jeans and t-shirt.
    Di
    xoxo

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  6. I do enjoy pearls and I will wear my pearls when I go to the exhibition! :)

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  7. Thanks for this post. I haven't worn my pearls in months but will today!

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  8. Hi Meg, I wear pearls all of the time--dressy, casual, whenever I need a pick up.
    Mary

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  9. In the early 70s porn flick, Behind the Green Door, actress Marilyn Chambers always wore pearl studs no matter what acrobatic and lurid activities she was engaged in, and when I saw that movie a lightbulb went off and I thought yes! pearls will certainly take you anywhere. They've been my go-to jewelry staple ever since.

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  10. yes, I have lots of pearls, inherited + new ones in all colors + they are so versatile. Send this to clients in UK. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  11. I am a pearl wearer, pearl collector and pearl lover! The most beautiful pair of blush pink pearl stud earrings (10mm) I've ever seen were at Harrods in London and were selling for $3,000 in 1998. I didn't buy them but have been thinking of them from time to time. A minor regret, but a regret nonetheless! Angela Muller

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  12. Wonderful post! Can't get more classic than a strand of beautiful pearls. That last piece is incredible. So clever and creative.

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  13. It's my birthstone and my mother's name. I have her strand, which my father brought back from Japan when he returned from WWII. It needs restringing. What I wear is a ring set with a very pretty "real" pearl and fresh water pearls of several colors in bracelets and earrings. I'd love to see this exhibit.

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