How has your pearl style evolved?

[cyndayco]

Pearls are timeless, but they're also slaves to our fickle moods and taste in fashion. What we like and how we wear them can change over the years (and sometimes, over a few months).

I remember my first pearl necklace: a tiny graduated strand from Majorica. It was 1997, and I wasn't completely sold on pearls, so I started with small and faux (but a damn good faux.)

When the pearl bug finally took hold, I sought huge, baroque, and often circled pearls. I felt they had more character, and their size, more appropriate for my buiid.

Today, while I still like circled and organic shapes, I prefer them smaller again, wearing nothing bigger than 12mm. Primarily, because smaller pearls tend to have better luster. I also like to combine them with gems and non-traditional clasps and settings.

From klonks to klinks

So how has your pearl style changed over time? Share pictures, if you can.

 

[GemGeek]

Great idea for a thread. I mostly wear pendants and earrings, often with pearl rings.

 

[gssp newbie]

i love your multicolor and the silver blue one! i only have 3 strands... 2 akoyas and 1 ssp... the two akoyas i would wear combined as a 36in strand..

i find it easier to wear pendants... or perhaps i am still a newbie and maybe things will change later?

 

[theseventhsphinx]

I think, about 4 years into my pearl preoccupation (only the last 2 of which really involved owning pearls, the first 2 being research), my style seems to be evolving in several directions simultaneously (or perhaps it is not evolving at all at this point, and just being identified?). I can totally get down with a severe, traditional matchy political look, or a blinged out bollywood look, a bohemian baroque look, and 17th century maiden look (love the look of a choker of 6mm or so pearls lately), an 18th century Anna Karenina look, a sumptuous souffle look...

My favorite colors, golden and ivory, haven't changed at all. Other than that, I'm all over the place. I think I'm still in playtime.

 

[BAS]

Good question, cyndayco! My taste has gone in what seems to be a typical trajectory. I started with smaller round pearls and now my interest has exploded in all directions, the bigger the better (to a certain point). Nowadays, I am especially enjoying fireballs and my faves are souffles due to the large size and the light weight. Intense metallic luster is what I love most (which both souffles and fireballs can exhibit) and all colors but peach.