If you have looked at the Sabi, Nami or Le Baroque pieces, you will have noticed their pearls are not round. They are baroque pearls, and they are at the heart of what we do.
What a baroque pearl is
Any pearl that is not spherical is called baroque: elongated, drop-shaped, rippled, with folds or small bumps. The word comes from old Portuguese, where a baroque pearl was an irregular pearl. From there it went on to name a whole artistic style that also fled from symmetry.
How they form
The shape depends on how the nacre is deposited inside the mollusc. When the nucleus moves or the nacre grows unevenly, the pearl comes out with a shape of its own. In freshwater cultured pearls this happens often, because the nacre makes up almost the whole pearl and has plenty of room to grow as it pleases.
Why no two are alike
Because each one grows in its own way. We choose baroque pearls one by one: we look at the shape, the lustre and how the light moves across the surface. For a necklace like Le Baroque, we look for pearls that resemble each other enough for the whole to have balance, without any repeating the one next to it. For a pair of earrings, we look for two sister pearls, not twins.
How they are worn
A baroque pearl has presence on its own, so the pieces that carry it look best alone. The Nami ring works as the only ring on the hand. The Sabi earrings are worn with the hair up so the central pearl shows. And Le Baroque needs nothing else around the neck.
Care
The same as any pearl: put them on last, avoid perfumes and water, clean them with a soft cloth and keep them in their case. Their folds gather a little more dust, so it is worth running the cloth over them with a little more calm. You have the full guide in how to clean and care for your pearl jewellery.
