Are Pearl Engagement Rings Really a Thing?
October 5, 2020 by Amy Elliott
The luminous gem is popping up in engagement rings. Jewelers, hear us out: Start tracking this microtrend as a way to diversify your bridal business.
Talay South Sea pearl silhouette ring in 18k gold; $2,800; Kavant & Sharart; hello@kavantandsharart.com; kavantandsharart.com
"Blank stares. Wrinkled noses. And one “Uhhhh…no,” coupled with an expression that seemed to ask, “Are you nuts?”
These were the responses JCK received when we asked various pearl dealers and designers if they, like us, had picked up on a budding pearl engagement ring trend led by two top celebrities, Emma Stone and Michelle Williams.
Celeste twin ring with pearl and black and white diamonds in 18k white gold; $4,537; Ananya; info@ ananya.com; ananya.com
Not surprisingly, the idea of placing one of nature’s most vulnerable gemstones in a ring intended for everyday wear is unpalatable to bridal jewelry pros whose businesses hinge on diamond sales. But knowing that celebrity engagement ring choices often trickle down to the mainstream, pearls could be the next chapter in the millennial and Gen Z customer’s quest for alternative center stones (see also: morganite, Montana sapphires, and salt-and-pepper diamonds).
Emma Stone and Dave McCary (photo: Albert L. Ortega/Getty)
“I was a little shocked at first when Emma and Michelle picked pearls,” says Severine Ferrari, founder and editor-in-chief of Engagement 101. “However, there is a growing trend of celebrities picking unconventional engagement rings that are only worn for public appearances and special occasions. And everyday women have multifaceted lives and often don’t wear their engagement rings all the time for practical reasons. If this is your lifestyle, the durability of the center stone is not on the top of your list.”
The idea of a pearl engagement ring isn’t unprecedented—in fact, a quick search on 1stDibs.com reveals a number of antique versions. In the Anne of Green Gables series, set in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, the heroine requests a “circlet of pearls” for her engagement ring. Another pearl girl: Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, who received a black pearl ring from Cartier when she became engaged to Prince Alexis Mdivani of Georgia (they married in 1933).
Stone’s Kataoka Pearl Snowflake Ring Supreme, with an 8 mm akoya pearl and 0.35 ct. t.w. diamonds in 18k gold ($4,780; kataoka-jewelry.com)
But it’s fair to say that the durability of yesteryear’s pearl engagement rings was less of a concern then because a woman’s lifestyle was less active. Today, diamonds are infinitely more practical because of their resistance to chips and scratches. They can also withstand a splash of perfume or a mist of hairspray. Pearls definitely can’t. So why would a 2020 bride knowingly ignore this?
“At the end of the day, a center stone is chosen based on what it means to the couple,” says Anis Boudraa, chief operating officer of Japanese fine jewelry brand Kataoka, which made Emma Stone’s delicate feminine ring. (Stone’s fiancé, Saturday Night Live segment director Dave McCary, purchased it at Catbird in Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Demi Globe ring with pearl in 14k gold; $1,280; Grace Lee; contact@gracelee.com; gracelee.com
Boudraa thinks that pearls are appealing to brides because they’re “immaculately timeless and divinely pure, symbolizing beauty, integrity, and abundance.” He has also observed a general uptick in interest in pearl engagement rings among his clients over the past few years.
New York City–based designer Ashley Zhang reports that her Giverny ring, which features an akoya center stone rimmed by diamonds, is one of her most popular bridal styles. “The client that chooses a pearl as the center stone is usually the type of girl who doesn’t own much fine jewelry and has more of a minimal and laid-back style,” she says.
Freshwater pink pearl ring with diamonds in 14k rose gold; $795; Imperial; customerservice@ imperialpearl.com; imperialpearl.com
Los Angeles–based jewelry designer Grace Lee thinks consumers are taken with the idea of pearls being an au naturel product. “A diamond needs to be polished and cut to shine, but pearls are literally beautiful out of the shell,” she says.
For the record, the Cultured Pearl Association of America is on board. The organization’s official statement: “Pearls’ heritage as a symbol for love and celebration is legendary—unlike diamonds (a marketer’s creation). Some might ask if a pearl is appropriate for daily wear, but it really depends on the individual. It’s a matter of lifestyle and personal choice.” ... "
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