Those who know Assael for its unabashed love of pearls may be charmed by the brand’s latest romance: Colored Gem Stones. That was one major theme on offer at the upscale trade-only Couture jewelry show held at the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel from May 31 to June 4, where the Assael team unveiled some polychromatic delights alongside its lovely pearls. The following are highlights of these new collections that will be in stores by fall.

Gemstones and Pearls

Left – Gucci Cruise 2019
Right – Assael new Bi-Color Tourmaline and Peacock Tahitian Pearl drop earrings

According to Christina Assael and Peggy Grosz, 2018 is all about color! Both the Owner/CEO and Vice President of Product Development, respectively, wanted to infuse a healthy dose of fun and chic to the new product offerings. So this year, they opted to highlight the natural color undertones in the pearls themselves, pairing up gemstones with complementary colors of pearls. Enter their latest collection featuring aquamarines, spinel, precious topaz, jade and a multitude of green garnets, among others, set with South Sea, Fijian and natural-color Tahitian gem pearls. The look tells a subtle and complex color story, such as the two tones in bi-color tourmaline that highlight similar hues in the esteemed peacock varieties of Tahitian pearls or the light sparkle of morganite paired with subtle rose Tahitians. Pieces include three-stone rings, earrings with jackets, and one-of-a-kind strands.

Tahitian and Sardinian Coral Bubbles

Left top – Multi-Color Tahitian Pearl Bubble ring
Bottom – Sardinian Gem Coral Ring, Right – Shiatzy Chen Fall/Winter 2018-19, Paris

Last year’s super-popular Bubble collection by Sean Gilson for Assael, originally unveiled in white South Sea pearls and Akoyas, has new additions that punch up the look as only colored gems can. Think Tahitian pearls, with their range of hues from “eggplant and magenta to light green and peacock varieties,” maintains Grosz, and rich deep red Sardinian gem coral. Styles are consistent with original designs, including bracelets, earrings, rings, and necklaces.

Colorful Keshi

Top Left  – Keshi Fiji Pearl Necklace Bottom Left – Golden Keshi Pearl and Diamond Rope Necklace  Bottom right – I’ VR Isabel Vollrath – Spring/Summer 2019

Finally, Assael’s newfound passion for freeform and lustrous keshi pearls—non-nucleated and 100 percent nacre pearls formed as by-products of the cultivating process—equal unexpectedly whimsical new jewels. The new keshis are offered in gold and in rainbow varieties that are unique to Fijian Pearls, which are grown in a sub-class of the Pinctada Margaritifera oyster known as Typica. Assael recently cemented a new relationship with the renowned pearl farmer J. Hunter because of the astonishing variety of colors available. “I just inhaled them,” Christina Assael gushed during the Couture show. “Pearls needn’t be perfect to be beautiful.”

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