Everyone Wants Pearls and So Will You
Rising from the depths of the seas, pearls have been associated with the beauty of femininity, purity, chastity and even modesty.
Pearls have been around for centuries, they used to be a profitable natural resource, even gained religious significance, were worn only by royalty and were even believed to have protective properties.
One of nature's most rare gemstones as they are an organic substance that is created by a living creature, oysters or molluscs.
Courtesy of Vogue
Pearls adorned women's bodies all throughout the 20th century. Now, 120 years after their invention, you will find them sitting on the necks of every boy from baseball players, to musicians to businessmen.
So, how did people get access to this exquisite rare nature's creation? They didn’t, all pearls you have ever seen are man made.
Courtesy of Pinterest
We present you Japanese born innovator Kokichi Mikimoto.
Obtaining natural pearls is not an easy task, first an irritant has to accidentally find its way into an oyster and then a diver has to dive deep into water to bring back oysters hoping there is one with a pearl. So natural pearls came as a way of maintaining these gemstones available as the natural thing was being wiped to extinction.
Mikimoto was concerned about the extinction of the pearl-producing oysters and set out to explore methods on how to introduce the particle that would stimulate secret action in the oyster that would eventually build up layers that create a pearl. In 1896 after many years of research he received a patent for cultured pearls. And voilà! Pearls became available to everyone as they become way more accessible. (more cheap does not mean they are not real!)
Pearls soon after made their way into mainstream fashion. Making a bang in the 20’s, becoming the most iconic jewelry with the likes of Coco Chanel sporting them in layers everywhere. Helping introduce pearls as an “everyday item” used in a casual or formal setting.
Flashforward to the next century and pearls began making their way into pop culture with one of youths most coveted accessory, the Vivienne Westwood Mini Bas Relief Pearl Choker.
The e-girl aesthetic, the revival of the 90’s and the Bridgerton craze brought the vintage piece back. It seems like everyone wants the TikTok necklace of the moment.
Courtesy of The Zoe Report
When we say everyone we mean everyone. We know Harry Styles isn’t the first male to pioneer in gender fluid fashion but he is one of today's most notorious youth icons and one that keeps bringing notoriety to men wearing jewelry. He wore a single droplet pearl earring at the Met Gala rephrasing feminine pieces.
Men’s fashion has notoriously become a more open book on “how a man should dress” and pearls are part of this stylish era and embrace of softness. The perfect accessory if you ask us, pearls really tie up an outfit by making it look more luxuriant, statement-making and even minimalistic. Pearls also accompany male beauty and speak on how the wearer wears his masculinity.
The likes of Sir Elton John, Harry Styles and ASAP Rocky have embraced this sticking trend. We have seen them in the runways with Comme des Garcons, Chanel, Casablanca and AMIRI.
Jewelry for men isn’t something new, what is changing is the mainstream embrace of different gems and its designs as part of an everyday outfit look. What do you think are pearls here to stay?