The Past, Present, and Future of Pearls

As trends change, internet focuses waver, and the jewelry market fluctuates, there is always, and has always, been one major constant: pearls.

Among countless reasons for this pattern, it is understood that this greatly has to do with their ever-growing demand in the fashion industry, especially now as more men embrace the jewel, their unique range of shapes, sizes, and colors, and the wide availability of cultured pearls. All these reasons helped drive the estimated global pearl jewelry market from a valued $2.77 in 2021 to a possible $41.99 billion fast-forward to only 2031. 

From their beginning they signified class and wealth, so much so the Julius Caesar made it a crime for anyone to wear the beads that were not of ruling class in the first century BC. They stand revered today due to their rich history, but also their unique process of creation, that being of the pearl itself and of the carefully devised necklaces made of tediously sought pearls of similar shapes, colors, and sizes, as these are often completely unpredictable features that lie hidden within the oyster until revealed. This added level of uncertainty to what resides within the shell makes completing a full necklace with beads of a similar style a very lengthy and expensive process, and it even means that is can sometimes take over 100,000 oysters to collect the beads for only one necklace. 

In good news, modern trends using pearls have called for a less uniform approach, by embracing mix-matched pearl styles. This look has been more recently used in pearl hoop earrings, bracelets, and even in more modern looking pearl necklaces. They have also been seen utilized in the more recent trends of layering jewelry, as they help provide a great level of depth and dimension within several chains and beads and are easily recognizable. This is a simple example of pearls unique abilities to adapt and set trends within any time period, of course, including today.