The Culture of Pearls - a blog about all things pearls

Looking Forward to a Year of Strength and Hopefulness

January 19, 2021 Reema Farooqui Comments 0 Comment

Pantone’s Colours of 2021 Enduring and uplifting is how Pantone has described its choice of colours for 2021. To be honest, as unlikely a marriage of colours as one could have imagined, Illuminating (13-0647) and Ultimate Grey (17-5104) do symbolize strength and hopefulness, two qualities we are striving towards this year after the train wreck of a year that was 2020. I have often wondered about the impact of Pantone’s Colour(s) of the Year on jewellery trends. It’s easy to…

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CMW Pearls’ Tahitian Pearl Auction in Hong Kong

January 13, 2021 Reema Farooqui Comments 0 Comment

One of the most interesting and somewhat arcane (to me, at least) aspects of the pearl world is the pearl auctions that are held after pearl harvests. Invitation only events, buyers are cloistered behind closed doors, examining pearls by lots and then placing bids on them-at least that is how I imagine the pearl auctions playing out. To my great good fortune, I connected with Sylvain Chan at CMW Pearls (Chan Ming Wing Pearl International Ltd.), a Tahitian pearl wholesale…

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The Real Treasure Amidst The Glittering Jewels

December 15, 2020 Reema Farooqui Comments 0 Comment

The Story of Mrs. Flora Sassoon This past week has been punctuated by end-of-year jewellery auctions all over the world. These mid-December auctions are something jewellery lovers look forward to all year, because some of the most interesting and beautiful jewellery lots come up for offer. I scour these auctions for natural pearl jewellery pieces. There is nothing like a prestigious auction to find breathtaking examples of antique and vintage pieces adorned with exceptional natural pearls. I was particularly looking…

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Christopher Walling Jewelry Debuts New Store in the Heart of Park Avenue

December 11, 2020 Reema Farooqui Comments 0 Comment

In this climate of the Covid 19 pandemic, every little piece of good news is relished with delight. One such sparkling news is the opening of a new pop-up store by jewellery designer Christopher Walling. Located at 485 Park Avenue (at the northeast corner of 58th Street) in Manhattan, Christopher’s new store has four rooms with a very comfortable, parlour-like feel to them. Decorated with an eclectic mix of furniture, people stepping into the store are immediately struck by its…

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A Conversation with Jewellery Designer Thomas Dailing

December 4, 2020 Reema Farooqui Comments 0 Comment

Jewellery Designer, Sculptor, Inventor…and Philosopher When I first saw some pieces designed and handcrafted by jewellery designer Thomas Dailing , founder and owner at Thomas Dailing Designs, I was left speechless! Not only were the gemstones and colours of the pieces simply exquisite, but the composition and forms of the pieces were like nothing I had ever seen before. My mind told me that these are fine jewellery pieces but my heart said that it would be unfair to box…

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Fine and Important Jewellery Auction at Hindman

November 30, 2020 Reema Farooqui Comments 0 Comment

So many treasures to be found! Hindman is having its end of the year Fine and Important Jewelry auction on December 7, 2020. This sale will be held at their Chicago offices and will be open for bidding live as well as online. Recognised as one of the leading international fine auction houses, Hindman conducts over a hundred auctions annually, in many different categories such as fine jewellery, fine art, manuscripts and books and couture, to name a few. The…

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Fifty Seven Years of Exquisite Jewellery

November 12, 2020 Reema Farooqui Comments 0 Comment

Elizabeth Gage’s The New York Collection 2020 Elizabeth Gage is a name that needs no introduction. Synonymous with style and exquisite craftsmanship, Elizabeth Gage’s jewellery pieces are a must-have for any serious modern jewellery lover. Her unstinting commitment to high quality materials and British hand made jewellery are a hallmark of her ethos as a designer. It is these two stand-out qualities that have made Elizabeth Gage carve a special and unmistakable place for her brand in the world of…

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Ear Candy: 250 Years of Style

November 8, 2020 Reema Farooqui Comments 0 Comment

A La Vieille Russie’s homage to the timeless beauty of earrings With the world now finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, it’s time to look at beauty and art with a light and joyous heart and what could be better than an exhibition of iconic and very beautiful earrings. A La Vieille Russie’s “Ear Candy: 250 Years of Style” is an exhibition of forty earrings from their own collection. Ranging from antique pieces to contemporary jewels, you can…

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