From the June 2022 issue of #thisispearl digital magazine

Pearls never cease to amaze me, which is why I’ve now added the moniker “boundary breaker” to the way in which I like to describe them. Please bear with me as I explain this viewpoint.

The history of pearls dates back centuries. Natural pearls were always scarce and rare, reserved for royalty and those with power and wealth. This status created unspoken messaging about what natural pearls meant, what they represented, and who could own them. With the invention of the culturing process—a true game changer—man and nature worked together to create cultured pearls and bring them to marketplaces around the globe. This new accessibility ushered in a period of consumerism, demand, and growing appreciation for what once had been reserved only for the elite.

With time, cultured pearls brought about new meanings and messaging that built on top of the precious symbolism that pearls had already held for ages. Few gems can continue to evolve and attract new fans in a burgeoning market as cultured pearls can.

I invite you to open your mind and think of pearls as gems with no boundaries. From musicians to politicians and Generations X, Y, or Z, pearls are classic and traditional, casual and fun, minimalist and modern. In sum, pearls are for everyone.

From a business standpoint, this gem offers variety in price points and style, margin, profitability, and market share. From a design perspective, any jewelry trend can be interpreted with pearl. Couple these facts with pearl’s heritage and reputation; the symbolism of the patience, love, and care it takes to grow them; and oftentimes sustainable farming, and you have an incomparable backstory that is 100% truth—not some strategized marketing initiative. This is what consumers today seek, and pearls embody it all.

Pearls are a category every jeweler needs to take a new look at. Educate yourself and your staff with CPAA’s Pearls As One education and see how pearl jewelry can change the trajectory of your business. Respectfully, remove the limits you’ve placed on them.