Is there anything more stylish than a classic strand of freshwater pearls? Maybe! At least, the baroque pearl necklace has been making a convincing case lately.
There’s just something so deeply magnetic about baroque pearls, which are known for their irregular, nonspherical shape. Perhaps it’s the fact that each one is unique, or that their unconventional shape confidently defies fashion’s constant striving for perfection. They’re not just gems—they’re small natural sculptures.
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Today baroque pearls can be seen on the necks, ears, and fingers of women who want to stand out. Their return to the jewelry trend cycle proves that imperfection has aesthetic value.
It’s no coincidence that among my favorite pieces of jewelry is a bold baroque pearl necklace, a gift from my aunt. I’ve always had a special connection to pearls. In my house they represented a rite of passage, a symbol to be worn at important moments. I remember my grandmother’s necklaces—round, perfect pearls, passed down from generation to generation. Yet alongside those classic strands she also liked to wear smaller, irregular pearl necklaces, almost shy in their beauty. In the ’00s I, like fashion, favored flawless pearl necklaces paired ironically with white T-shirts and denim in a game of contrasts à la Lagerfeld. But when my aunt gave me a necklace of scrappy baroque pearls, it was love at first sight. They weren’t perfect, but they had character. Each one told a different story, with its soft curves and asymmetrical sheen.
