“It’s the season’s most thrilling remake of an all-time classic…”

the pure, pristine pearl is in the midst of a modernizing makeover, rebelling against its prim image and taking its place at the heart of some of the coolest jewelry on offer this Christmas.” So begins renowned jewelry historian Vivienne Becker in the December 1st edition of How to Spend It magazine in the Financial Times, on what she calls a “new world trend” toward contemporary pearls.

Becker’s roundup of “pearl revolutionaries” includes brilliant young-guard designers and couture pearl masters alike, all of whom are designing for a new pearl-savvy customer fueled by pearls on international runways, red carpets, and influencer Instagram feeds.

“In the past year, pearls have not only been popping up all over the catwalks as accessories and embellishments,

they’ve also been making their own individualist style statements in jewelry across the board,” says Ms. Becker. “Now there’s a noticeable shift towards innovative design and finding relaxed, more contemporary ways of wearing even the most precious of pearls.” Assael’s award winning collaboration with Sean Gilson has produced contemporary pearl styling for connoisseurs at every age. From his feminine and playful Bubble Collection to the Spotlight Award winning “Flex” bangle, the Sean Gilson for Assael jewelry gives women new ways to wear pearls.

“In this era of female empowerment, the age-old symbol of femininity is officially ditching the dowager associations

and swapping purity and discretion for power and direction.”  Power Pearls are a ‘thing’ now. In every walk of life, including politics, journalism, the arts, even sports, there are women in powerful positions whose personal style includes great pearls, often worn daily.  As designers continue to broaden pearl horizons with their innovative new designs, women can continue to establish their status with bespoke, one-of-a-kind pearl pieces or impeccably collected strands of the ultimate quality.

“Color is crucial to today’s mood of reinvention…
there is still an untapped world of possibility for pearls:
the revolution is only just beginning.”

says Peggy Grosz, vice president of Assael in New York, one of the world’s most revered pearl dealers…’The revolution is only just beginning.’” Thanks to Assael’s exclusive distribution partnership with innovative, eco-friendly pearl farmer J. Hunter Fiji Pearls, an exciting new assortment of naturally colorful Fiji cultured pearls is now available to the public. And the design team at Assael is creatively pairing these remarkable treasures with beautiful gemstones that highlight the colorful undertones in the pearls themselves.

“When a woman wears diamonds, you look at the diamonds; when a woman wears pearls, you look at the woman.”

How to Spend It reminds us. How very true! All of us at Assael are proud to be featured in the How to Spend It article in such good company with Chaumet, Chopard, Moussaieff and Chanel. We commend Ms. Becker on her insightful reporting. Assael is delighted to be a part of the new pearl revolution. Are you ready for it?

To read Vivienne Becker’s entire article, and to see our latest designs, please visit Assael.com or Pearl Jewelry’s New Cool.