The word is out—pearls are back, and in a big way. Today’s designs are fun and wearable, and they celebrate the entrancingly unusual shapes of the baroque pearl. Mizuki Goltz, Jordan Alexander’s Theresa Harper Bruno, and iconic pearl house Yvel are among the designers leading the charge in re-creating the look of this age-old gem. Here’s your cheat sheet.
Brand: Mizuki
The Pearls: Big, sumptuous South Sea baroques from French Polynesia. Colors range from bright white to stormy gray.
Photo: Courtesy Mizuki
The Look: A brilliant balance of earthiness and glamor. Designer Mizuki Goltz’s latest pieces truly embrace the idiosyncrasies of each pearl. She dips them in gleaming 14-karat gold and mounts them on a lightweight bracelet, or pairs them with asymmetrical slices of diamonds in cool wraparound rings and solo statement earrings. Every lush pearl begs to be touched. This September, Mizuki will debut Privé, a 13-piece collection of totally one-of-kind designs that continue her polished, naturalistic style.
Brand: Jordan Alexander
The Pearls: Designer Theresa Harper Bruno’s often contrasting incandescent white baroques in all shapes and sizes, with mesmerizing steely-gray Tahitian keshi and golden South Sea pearls.
Photo: Courtesy Jordan Alexander
The Look: Refined, coolly sophisticated designs that highlight each pearl’s natural irregularities. Bruno frames pearls in a range of settings—netting them in a delicate gold chain link for a pair of earrings, mounting them prominently on a diamond-studded gold ring, and stringing more than a dozen together to create an exquisitely fluid opera-length necklace.
Brand: Yvel
The Pearls: Vibrant fresh and saltwater pearls from around the world. Standouts include delicate coin-shaped pearls from Japan’s Lake Biwa; deeply textured, molten-like golden Indonesian South Sea pearls; and darkly iridescent Tahitian keshis.
Photo: Courtesy Yvel
The Look: Modern, attention-grabbing pieces that feature colorful pearls in free-flowing, unexpected settings. Yvel’s founder Isaac Levy frequently spotlights pearls within the brand’s signature satin-finished 18-karat gold, often alongside equally stunning precious stones like colored diamonds and sapphires. Every piece is handcrafted at the expansive 50,000-square-foot Yvel Design Center in Jerusalem by the brand’s team of artisans.
