Vivienne Westwood has just released a brand-new jewellery watch, inspired by one of the fashion house’s most famous accessories – the iconic pearl choker.
Reimagining the three-row pearl Bas Relief choker from the 1990 ‘Portrait’ collection, the new, limited-edition Strand pearl watch features a bracelet made of three rows of Swarovski glass pearls, seamlessly integrated with a central orb watch case.
The crystal-encrusted orb, a symbol synonymous with the British fashion house, opens to reveal a hidden satin sunray watch dial.
The original pearl choker debuted as a single strand in the late 1980s as part of the late designer’s Harris Tweed Fall 1987 runway collection. It was later updated to a triple strand for Westwood’s Portrait collection in 1990. The design features a central two-dimensional orb adorned with white crystals and has since become a cult favourite on platforms like TikTok.
Today, the TikTok necklace is a staple of the A-list – Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and Bella Hadid are just a few of its fans. The TikTok pearl necklace’s most viral celebrity appearance came during King Charles III’s coronation back in May 2023, when Katy Perry wore a three-strand pearl choker set with Westwood’s Swarovski crystal-encrusted Orb logo at its centre to the Westminster Abbey ceremony.
Its popularity has also been bolstered by the currently trending manga Nana, adapted into an anime series from 2006 to 2007, which heavily promotes Westwood’s Orb design. Its author, Ai Yazawa, a former fashion student, was charmed by the British designer’s punk roots, sparking a craze for Westwood’s jewellery with the show’s cult following. During the mid 2000s, Westwood even took advantage of this fanfare and collaborated with Nana on advertisements featured in the popular Japanese punk fashion magazine Kera.
Available exclusively at Vivienne Westwood boutiques, Selfridges and select Beaverbrooks locations across the UK and online, the new gold-plated jewellery watch is powered by a Swiss-made quartz movement and retails at £450 / $610.
Like this? Taylor Swift wears Vivienne Westwood’s TikTok pearl necklace at Miami show
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