As Emma Raducanu lifted her gleaming trophy at the US Open this past weekend, the eyes of the world were on her victorious smile, which lit up the entire court. It was a historic moment, as precious and timeless as the pearl and diamond earrings by Tiffany & Co which sparkled discreetly in her earlobes. As a symbolic nod to the city of New York, they were perfect, as the company was founded there in 1837, and has been as much a part of its history and culture as Flushing Meadows ever since. As a statement of the young athlete’s growing style prowess and influential power, they were matchless – Raducanu even appeared in the October 2021 issue of British Vogue, published just days before her spectacular grand slam win. There were pearl earrings aplenty in this photoshoot, too: chic oversized drops paired with an ivory monogrammed baseball cap by Gucci; shimmering diamond crescents with pearl pendants by Annoushka Ducas, and contemporary clusters of pearls by Sophie Bille Brahe. If pearls had already shaken off their fusty, ‘Sunday best’ image in recent years – thanks in part to recent appearances on the runways of Simone Rocha, Givenchy and Dior – then their association with Raducanu, now confirmed as one of UK sport’s brightest stars, can only catapult their status into fabulously fresh territory for an entirely new generation.
Want to get ahead of the game? Here are 15 of the most playful pearl earrings guaranteed to get you noticed.
Pearls and spikes make surprisingly stylish bedfellows, as evinced by these ‘Danger Tribe’ hoops by Japanese pearl experts, Tasaki. The brand has been farming exquisite Akoya pearls according to traditional methods in the sheltered waters around Kujukushima, near Nagasaki in Japan, since the 1950s. At its production site in Kobe, pearls are sorted and graded by expert eye (it takes up to a decade to qualify as a master) before being drilled for inclusion in hand-strung necklaces or sent for setting in other jewels. These hoops, a combination of 18kt yellow gold teeth and creamy, perfectly-matched Akoya pearls, showcase what Tasaki does best: fashion-forward innovation paired with classic craftsmanship.
Named after the joy of seeing chrysanthemum-shaped fireworks blossoming in the skies over Japan, Milamore’s ‘Hanabi’ earrings are available singly, or as a perfect pair. The brand’s founder, George Inaki Root, finds his Japanese heritage a constant source of inspiration and pearls are a constant theme – alongside white freshwater pearls, he utilises black and lustrous gold South Sea pearls, plus a variety of keshi or ‘baroque’ shapes set in mismatching or asymmetric styles to create beautiful contemporary jewels.
Copenhagen-based Bille Brahe is known for her minimalist, avant-garde take on jewellery and as a result, her chic pieces are adored by the likes of Rihanna, Alexa Chung and Jodie Comer. Bille Brahe’s signature ‘Boticcelli’ earrings are cast from 14k yellow gold and set with airy-looking clusters of lustrous white freshwater pearls, plus a delicate pearl drop. They may be inspired by Baroque and named for the famous Renaissance artist, but these thoroughly contemporary ear jewels will make a timeless statement no matter what you pair them with.
Fully alive to the complexion-enhancing qualities afforded by the reflective lustre of pearls, Gabrielle Chanel once declared a woman ought to have “ropes and ropes” of them in her fashion arsenal. But the legendary couturier would surely have agreed that a judiciously placed ear climber (or two), especially one shaped like a falling star trailing a mini constellation of luminous white pearls and diamonds in its wake, is just as desirable.
Mikimoto is a company forever credited with making pearls more accessible to the world. Its founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, was the first person to successfully create the very first cultured pearls in 1893 and establish modern pearl production in Japan. Before this, only one in a thousand oysters might naturally produce a pearl throughout their lifetime, and be found by a skilled expert, which made the jewels impossibly rare and the sole preserve of royalty or the exceedingly wealthy. Today, his maison continues to follow in his boundary-pushing principles by combining Japanese techniques with European know-how, resulting in covetable and eye-catching designs.
Admired for its effortlessly contemporary take on pearl pieces, Mateo is loved and worn by celebrities including Amanda Gorman, Kerry Washington and Rihanna, who the brand’s founder, Mathew Harris, credits with bringing his jewels to an international audience. Indeed, the designer is so associated with the lustrous gem that he has even dedicated one of his sought-after home fragrance candles to it (a blend of citrus, cedar, tonka bean, amber and musk, in case you were wondering). These sculptural and mobile ‘Blizzard’ earrings are a modern interpretation of classic pearl chandeliers, inspired by snowy New York flurries, and have been worn by Zendaya, Anne Hathaway and Tessa Thompson on the red carpet.
For those who like their pearls with a touch more edge, Anissa Kermiche’s jewellery provides the perfect walk on the wild side. Her long ‘Corne des perles’ earring is named for the French word for horn, and sets five glossy white pearls of graduated size against a tapered gold post back, which extends down your neck. A little bit danger and a lot of chic in one gleaming stud.
A take on the toughness of New York’s urban landscape, these earrings from Tiffany & Co. are a loving nod to the chain link fences threaded throughout the city. Lustrous South Sea pearls are elegantly framed by tough-luxe golden links, making these jewels a classic yet cool statement. They pair just as well with a little black dress (à la Audrey Hepburn) as they do with a collared shirt and jacket, which is just as well, because when you’re running around in the city that never sleeps, who has time to change accessories?
Looking for versatile wedding jewellery? Consider Annoushka’s delicate drop earrings, with white gold hand-set with a timeless combination of freshwater pearls and brilliants. The heavenly-themed drops are detachable, meaning the sparkling diamond hoops can be worn alone, or used to hang other favourite pendants instead.
One glance at Georgacopoulos’ graphic jewels will tell you that the designer’s background lies in sculpture. Indeed, her intriguing and original creations – which have been exhibited at the PAD fairs in Monaco, Paris, and London – resemble sliced, stacked and squared-off pieces of contemporary art; ones that just happen to be worn on the body. These Bauhaus-esque earrings juxtapose smooth peacock-coloured orbs with onyx-coloured cubes of mother-of-pearl for a lesson in stylish contrasts.
A specialist in jewellery utilising the unique beauty of baroque pearls, Pacharee’s ‘Dangling Moss’ earrings combine hand-beaten Siam gold with ‘perfectly imperfect’ keshi pearls for a beautifully raw and organic effect.
Designed to look as though rose gold ‘spears’ have pierced the heart of twin Tahitian pearls, these tough-luxe earrings capture the essence of Hannah Martin’s creations. Martin founded her brand in London in 2006, and her fluid, sculptural forms continually reference the post-punk music and youth culture she experienced growing up in the UK during the 1980s.
Known for his playful approach to high and fine jewellery, New York-based Rosado made headlines throughout the globe when Kamala Harris wore a custom gold and pearl necklace that he designed for her, when she was sworn in as the first female Vice President of the United States in January. The Puerto Rican creative is a former protégé of both Andy Warhol and Giorgio Armani, and has a loyal celebrity following that includes Julia Roberts, Mariah Carey and Rihanna. These earrings, with their elegant links surrounding glistening pearls, are refined, elegant and bold, without being too obviously fashion-forward – much like the Vice President herself.
For the first time, Suzanne Kalan has collaborated with The Cultured Pearl Association of America on a limited capsule collection of one-off jewels, which combine Kalan’s signature baguette-cut gemstones with precious peacock-hued Tahitian pearls. “I especially love emeralds next to the color of Tahitian pearls. What I love most about Tahitians are the undertones that are captured in the different lights they’re seen in—blue, green, purple, and pink,” the jeweller said at the launch of the collection last month.
Motivated by the “months of loss, turbulence, questioning and darkness” wrought by the pandemic, jeweller Rosh Mahtani sought inspiration and solace from starry night skies, which helped her to recall “the days of humans coming together, orbiting around each other in a dance of energies.” The result is a pair of beautifully asymmetric silver earrings, handcrafted in London’s Hatton Garden, which contrast the cool, milky lustre of a freshwater pearl drop with the fiery blood-red hue of a faceted garnet.
