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The winner of the Winterson prize in 2023 is Rosa Lusvardi for her final year collection 'Girly', an unapologetic exploration of youth culture and femininity.

Winterson: Tell us a little bit about yourself...
Rosa: I grew up in a village in the north east of England. I moved to London to start the jewellery design course at Central St Martins.

Winterson: What was the inspiration for this collection?
Rosa: Female youth culture and the joys of getting ready. All things pink and girly! Barbie, Polly Pocket, children’s jewellery, make up, nail polish, nail art, fashion, pink, Paris Hilton’s rhinestone encrusted spatula, Hello Kitty, bows on Marie Antoinette's dresses, emojis… !!!

Image 1: Pop Princess Pearl, bow ring, Gilding metal, hard gel nail polish, nail gems, freshwater pearl, Rosa Lusvardi
Image 2: Bubblegum, bow ring, Gilding metal, hard gel nail polish, Rosa Lusvardi

Winterson: What do you find inspiring about pearls? Why were they right for this collection?
Rosa: Pearls are commonly associated with femininity, so I felt it was right to include them in my collection. I also really liked the way that the way the pearls looked with my nail polish colours and the shapes of my pieces.

Winterson: What have you discovered about working with pearls?
Rosa: Pearls have their own personality, they brought elegance to my collection. I found it really fun to design a piece of jewellery around the Pearl.

Winterson: We loved the way your work sends a message about the powerful importance of self-exploration and examining the “codes” of femininity for young women today. Do you see your work as feminist?
Rosa: Yes. My collection is about inspiring people to embrace their femininity. I use feminine motifs, colours and decoration with the intent of celebrating femininity.

Image 1: Destiny, ring, Gilding metal, hard gel nail polish, glass stone, Rosa Lusvardi
Image 2: Pearl, ring, Gilding metal, hard gel nail polish, Freshwater pearls, Rosa Lusvardi

Winterson: Which designer or artist do you most admire?
Rosa: Sandy Liang and Simone Rocha, their work has given me a lot of inspiration!

Winterson: Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?
Rosa: All my friends.

Winterson: What is it that makes a piece of jewellery a design classic in your view?
Rosa: Something memorable.

Image 1: Moondust, flower ring, Gilding metal, hard gel nail polish, glass stone, Rosa Lusvardi
Image 2: Sweet, bow ring, Gilding metal, hard gel nail polish, nail gems and ‘sweet’ sticker, Rosa Lusvardi

Winterson: Name one jewellery toolbox essential that you can’t live without.
Rosa: My tiny paint brushes.

Winterson: What’s next for you after CSM?
Rosa: Hopefully more jewellery!

Winterson: Have you seen the new Barbie movie? Team Ken or Team Barbie?
Rosa: I'm excited to watch it when it comes into cinemas! I'm sure I’ll be Team Barbie...

Winterson’s Creative Director Alice Cicolini commented “Rosa draws on classical jewellery forms which have become emblematic of feminine adornment such as the Georgian Bow, forms that also have an echo in the bubblegum plastic universe of Barbie and other girl’s toys. She both subverts and celebrates the journey from girlhood to womanhood and what it means to explore female identity today. Realising her jewellery from iconic feminine materials, such as nail varnish and pearls, Rosa invites us to reflect on our own journey of self actualisation and the joy of dressing up.”

Each year we work with the student jewellery designers at Central Saint Martins in London, giving them an opportunity to experience designing with pearls for their final year collections.

We will be awarding the Winterson Prize 2019 to one of the students for ‘The Best Use of Pearls’ at the CSM Jewellery Awards Evening on 20th June. The BA Jewellery graduate collections are exhibited at CSM and open to the public from June 19th - 22nd.

Here we feature the first part in a series of short interviews with designers from the CSM Jewellery 2019 show, including in this article - Ayse Daga, Diana Jung, Fermin Cheung, Hao-Yang Lai, Juntao Asa Ouyang and Wen-Ju Tseng.

Read about Juntao Asa Ouyang, the winner of this year's prize.

 



Ayse Daga

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I have been passionate about creating since I was very young. Starting off with drawing and painting, I realised that I am interested in creating three dimensional forms that can either be personal or that communicates ideas in a broader sense. My main inspiration is history and admiration of different cultures around the world. Based in Istanbul, Turkey, I believe my interest for different cultures and history come from the rich historical past, traditions and crafts of my home country.

What was the inspiration for your Faces from Curiosities collection?
From broad to narrower sense, it was, history, culture, memories and human conscious. Cabinet of curiosities and Sigmund Freud’s collection of objects were two main inspirations for me to build up a starting point for my collection.

What do you find inspiring about pearls?
Definitely their roots and history. They are considered as the worlds’ oldest gems and were used for different purposes in different cultures. I am also very interested in their nature. Unlike gemstones that are mined from the earth, a living organism produces a pearl.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?
They are easier to carve compared to other stones. I also realized the interesting nature of the Baroque pearls. Their natural and irregular shapes are very inspirational.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?
Shinji Nakaba and Sevan Bıçakçı (he doesn’t use pearls a lot).

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?
To be honest anyone could wear my jewellery who appreciates the idea of history and culture. I always admire ancient tribal jewellery and consider myself as a maker and designer who reinterpret the idea of authenticity.

What’s next for you after CSM?
I’m planning to develop myself in terms of carving and engraving and hopefully expand my work to create my own business.

View more of Ayse's work here.

 



Diana Jung

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My jewellery designs result in numerous attempts of embodying my delicate sensations into objects. I like designing sculptural pieces that are beautiful when they are both worn and not worn, which holds the features of both art jewellery and fine jewellery.

What was the inspiration for your Sense of Belonging collection?
Exploring the scenes of laundry, the subtle image of soft pillows hanging on the laundry lines left a strong impression on me. Pillows itself are such a symbolic object of home and a personal possession that remains nearest to the skin. Having something that exists in one’s private space and moments set out to the public, came upon as an unusual but also beautiful sight for me. Therefore, I decided to create a collection of puffy pillows which contains the nostalgia of one’s comfort place to be worn on the body for people to see.

What do you find inspiring about pearls?
I love the white soft texture of pearls. I find pearls fascinating in that they have such a calming, comforting look to them. I also think that pearls are special because they become heirlooms that can be cherished for a long time.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?
I found that pearls could be carved and transformed into various shapes. However, I eventually came to realize that pearls are the most beautiful when it is in its pure state.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?
Sculptor and installation artist Do Ho Suh, Rachael Whiteread, and fashion designer Pheobe Philo.

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?
I imagine my jewellery being worn by anyone who can relate to my pieces and understands the sensitivity of them.

What’s next for you after CSM?
I really enjoy designing and making jewellery and would love to start working in other companies. Eventually, I would like to have my own brand.

View more of Diana's work here.

 



Fermin Cheung

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Someone who likes drawing, painting and crafting but doesn’t understand contemporary arts.

What was the inspiration for your Vitana collection?
Shinji Nakaba who is a Japanese artist specialise in pearl carving; anatomy studies that I’ve been revising in my spare time and my essay which did some research on display methods in galleries.

What do you find inspiring about pearls?
The softness of the material is inspiring. Not just in its strength but also the visual that looks like layers of airbrush stacked on top of each other, creating a vibrant colour. The resin-like interior is also intriguing.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?
The properties of having layers in pearls which cause problems during carving; possibility of sculpting as the material is capable to provide contrast between hard edges and soft edges.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?
Shinji Nakaba; Neil Linnsen, Jiro Jur, Wlop and Shal_E.

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?
Audience that not only appreciate the visuals of a piece, but also appreciate the intentions or messages behind.

What’s next for you after CSM?
Utilising the degree and work for income, whether it is contemporary or commercial jewellery or any other aspects, supporting the study in illustration and concept art, potentially animation if time allows.

 



Hao-Yang Lai

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’ve always been interested in designing and making since I was young. As I begin my further studies at Central Saint Martins, I was very lucky to be in a position to truly explore myself. To me, jewellery is about challenging conventions and breaking boundaries. In the future, I intend to continue pushing my designs further and bring awareness to the social issues that I care deeply.

What was the inspiration for your Anthropocene collection?
The starting point of this collection was inspired by science fiction and the cyberpunk movement. As I developed my concept, I begin to realise how science fiction reflects our society and how it can inform my work. With science fiction movies like Blade Runner 2049 (2017), I was heavily inspired by imageries of the postmodern, apocalyptic world. My collection found itself inheriting many characteristics such as the cybernetic forms and clean design aesthetics from the film.

What do you find inspiring about pearls?
I think what’s most interesting about pearl is that they are natural forms. With my collection, I investigated with the relationship between man-made verses nature. The contrast between pearls and the artificial stone gives a new dimension to my collection.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?
I’ve discovered pearls have interesting qualities, such as the different reflections and colours, it's soft on the outside and hard in its core.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?
Anish Kapoor, Stanley Kubrick, Richard Serra

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?
Artists, collectors, designers.

What’s next for you after CSM?
I’m probably moving to Africa or South America to do volunteer work.

View more of Hao-Yang's work here.

 



Juntao Asa Ouyang

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a passionate designer who works with traditional craft skill and wants to interpret craft skills, craftsmanship in contemporary jewellery.

What was the inspiration for your Glitch collection?
My inspiration comes from the circumstances of people over-reliance on technology products. What would happen if all the technology that people depend on just shuts down? I aim to demonstrate the fear of how daily used technology may ‘Incorporate’ people if people rely too much on technology.

What do you find inspiring about pearls?
The uniqueness and colors of pearls is pretty inspiring.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?
I used mother of pearl and pearls in my collection. Colors of abalone shell can represent glitch screens in an abstract way. Natural baroque pearls come with different sizes and shapes. Seeking the right pearls for my collection is an interesting journey.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?
Theo Jansen and Gijs Bakker.

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?
People who like to warn themselves from over-reliance on technology products.

What’s next for you after CSM?
I would like to find a job in which I can learn while working.

View more of Juntao's work here.

 



Wen-Ju Tseng

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am an enthusiastic and bubbly person who tends to overcomplicate things but always finds a way to simplify them again.

What was the inspiration for your How Valuable Are You collection?
Social expectations have forced us to constantly evaluate and assess individuals. The collecting and processing of basic personal information provides a system for measuring one’s value that is quietly going out of control. My final collection subverts the uses of everyday objects to challenge how societal expectations are creating a worrying trend to commodify everything we do into unrealistic values.

What do you find inspiring about pearls?
Pearls have a unique lustre that makes them stand out in the crowd of jewels.

What have you discovered about working with pearls?
They come in all different sizes, colours and shapes and I really do mean it. I would like to thank all the living shell mollusks that created the mini pearls I used in my collection.

Which designer or artist do you most admire?
I don’t have one favourite designer but I do have quite a few designers and artists who inspire me such as Ken Price, Ai Wei Wei, Shaun Leane, Gijs Bakker and Margiela.

Who could you imagine wearing your jewellery?
You.

What’s next for you after CSM?
Expand my collection by developing showpieces into everyday wearable pieces and look into other aspects of social expectations!

View more of Wen-Ju's work here.

Starring on the front cover of British Vogue's June 2019 issue, released on 10th May, the legendary music and cultural icon Madonna shows that pearls are still very much in vogue.

The shoot for the magazine was unveiled by the Edward Enniful OBE, the editor-in-chief of British Vogue. The story celebrates Madonna's 60th birthday and the unveiling of her new 14th album 'Madame X'.

The feature creates a series of images influenced by leading feminists of the mid-20th century "whose legacy Madonna not only admires, but relates to,” states Enniful. "I believe it’s important that we pay a little respect: for much of her life, she was probably the most high-profile feminist on the planet,” he continues. The feature celebrates the fact that, during her 20 year career, Madonna has always been a creative innovator.

The shoot was styled by Benjamin Bruno and photographed in London in March 2019 by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Two of the images see Madonna styled with pearls - one in an open necked Armani white men's shirt.

We are truly delighted and honoured that our Opera Length Akoya Pearl Necklace in Yellow Gold was chosen to be worn and photographed for the stunning set of imagery.



Image: Winterson Opera Length Akoya Pearl Necklace

The necklace features a 90cm length of Akoya pearls, a classic type of saltwater pearl that is traditionally cultured in Japanese coastal waters. The Akoya pearl is loved for its sharp lustre, round shape and white colour, with a hint of pink.

A big thank you to Edward Enniful and everyone at British Vogue!

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is the V&A's latest blockbuster exhibition to focus on the social and cultural power of clothing - from the savage beauty of Alexander McQueen to the iconography of Frida Khalo, and now, Christian Dior’s enduring juxtaposition of fantasy and functionalism, softness and tailoring that has kept fashion lovers in thrall to his brand for over 70 years.

Based on the original exhibition curated by Olivier Gabet and Florence Müllerat Le Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, the V&A show has additional material selected by the V&A’s senior fashion curator Oriole Cullen. Dior in Britain, a section especially created for the London show, celebrates Monsieur Dior’s relationship to the city, its craft ateliers and the celebrated women who became his clients.

”Dior admired the grandeur of the great houses and gardens of Britain, as well as British-designed ocean liners, including the Queen Mary," Cullen explains. This unique selection of work includes a series of collaborative pieces designed by Dior but created by British craft houses such as Dents. It culminates in a beautiful Dior gown worn by Princess Margaret on her 21st birthday



Image: Princess Margaret, wearing Dior for her 21st birthday

"In 1947, Christian Dior changed the face of fashion with his New Look,” said Cullen,“which redefined the female silhouette and reinvigorated the post-war Parisian fashion industry.” Tragically Monsieur Dior himself was only at the helm of his eponymous brand for a decade before his sudden and unexpected death in Italy.

It is testament to the strength of his vision that the designers who followed in his footsteps were each, in their own way, able to evolve the label, whilst ensuring that the core elements of Dior’s world remained constant - although each of these visionary creatives emphasised differing qualities of Dior’s voice. The exhibition is organized around these themes, from the Garden to the Ballroom.



Image 1: 30 Avenue Montaigne, Paris, circa 1947
Image 2: Christian Dior with model Lucky, circa 1955

"The influence of Christian Dior's design was all-pervasive and helped to define an era. In their own individual ways, each of the house's successive artistic directors has referenced and reinterpreted Dior's own designs and continued the legacy of the founder ensuring that the house of Christian Dior is at the forefront of fashion today," Cullen suggests.

Whilst the universe John Galliano created under the banner of Dior was one of the brand’s most recognised eras, the exhibition makes clear the strength of both Raf Simons’ and Maria Grazia Chiuri’s visions for the house. In their own ways, each of the two most recent artistic directors have been able to capture and distill Dior’s magical combination of the fantastical with the wearable, whilst remaining true to the energy and direction of their times.



Image 1: Bar Suit by Christian Dior, 1947
Image 2: Coat, 2012 by Raf Simons
Image 2: Dress, 2018, by Maria Grazia Chiuri

If anything else, the exhibition emphasises how hard it is to design legendary, epoch defining clothes. Whilst there are some genuinely stunning garments in the show, it is hard to come away from it without thinking that, with the exception of the recently revived Galliano designed Dior Saddle bag, the New Look was by far the label’s most globally recognised silhouette.

For all this, Dior: Designer of Dreams is a feast for both fashion connoisseurs and interested observers, the quality of workmanship rightly celebrated throughout the exhibition, and a reminder of why Dior has reigned supreme over the world of fashion since 1947.

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is at the V&A from 2 February - 1 September 2019.

New to the Mythologie collection is the refined simplicity of the Dewdrop earrings and pendants.

The Mythologie collection is inspired by the legends of the teardrop pearl throughout history. A symbol of new beginnings, pearls make a perfect gift for Christmas and the new year to come.

Celebrating the pearl's history as a symbol of purity, love and wisdom, the elongated drop shape of the design captures the sparkle of morning dew, which some ancient cultures believed was crystallised into a pearl.



Image 1: Mythologie Dewdrop Akoya Pearl Earrings in White Gold
Image 2: Mythologie Dewdrop Akoya Pearl Pendant in White Gold

The Ancient Greeks believed that pearls were the tears of the Gods, and that wearing pearls for a wedding would protect the bride from tears and sorrow. Over generations the pearl’s connections with innocence, beauty and purity have made it the perfect gemstone for a bride.



Image 1: Mythologie Dewdrop Akoya Pearl Earrings in Rose Gold
Image 2: Mythologie Dewdrop Akoya Pearl Pendant in Rose Gold

Hindu folklore refers to the pearl as a dewdrop, falling from the night sky into the moonlit sea, where Krishna, the god of love, plucks it from the ocean floor as a bridal gift for his daughter. Show your love for that special someone with a stunning new Mythologie Dewdrop set this Christmas.



Image 1: Mythologie Dewdrop Akoya Pearl Earrings in Yellow Gold
Image 2: Mythologie Dewdrop Akoya Pearl Pendant in Yellow Gold

Each elegant Dewdrop is crafted with a beautiful Akoya pearl, topped by a pave of brilliant cut diamonds, and hand finished in 18 carat white, yellow or rose gold.

A special Dark Dewdrop design is now also available, with the natural tones of Tahitian pearls that are perfect for the evening.

Astral is our new collection of jewellery, inspired by the stars, and captures the night sky's brilliance in radiant diamonds and heavenly combinations of colourful sapphires.

Grouping three round faceted gemstones as the central motif, the collection also references the occurrence of the number three in nature – from the triangular patterns within major constellations, to the classical trefoil of petals and leaves. The number 3 was believed by ancient cultures to convey good fortune, representing wholeness and the unity of harmony, wisdom and understanding.



Image: Astral Cluster Pendant and Astral Cluster Earrings in Yellow Gold

Taking as our starting point the mirrored configuration of the Summer and Winter Triangles, groupings of major stars that are visible in the height of summer and depth of winter, Astral draws on spectacular celestial events from the Aurora Borealis to the Red Nova, to inspire a selection of gems that are as bold and clear in their colours as they are radiant in their fire.

Astral Cluster showcases its white diamonds to recreate stellar constellations, the groupings of radiant stars that are visible on Earth under clear skies. Comprising a pendant and stud earrings set with 2.5mm or 3mm diamonds, Astral Cluster is available both in 18ct yellow and white gold.



Image 1: Astral Dawn Earrings in White Gold
Image 2: Astral Blaze Earrings in Yellow Gold

Three additional colourways are similarly inspired by spectacular moments in the night sky.

Astral Blaze resembles the sumptuous fire of a magical sunset, with six faceted sapphires in tones of apricot, deep pink and fiery orange hand-set in 18 carat yellow gold. Astral Lagoon captures the opulent reflection of the night skies in ocean water, studded with blue diamonds, tanzanites and deep hued amethysts, hand-set in 18 carat white gold. And Astral Dawn evokes the exquisite break of dawn, as the first rays of sun merge with the stars, captured by six faceted sapphires in tones of purple, pink and rose, hand-set in 18 carat white gold.



Image: The Astral collection

The coloured gemstone series comprises a matching pendant and earrings, hand-set with 3mm gems in 18 carat gold. The Astral studs also form an additional complement to our selection of interchangeable pearls that can be purchased independently. These pearl fittings can already be worn with earrings from the pretty gemstones of our Lief collection to the pave diamond leaves of the Enchanted range.

With the new collection, the Astral Blaze earrings provide a spectacular contrast to the stunning dark hues of the Tahitian pearl, the Astral Lagoon studs are the perfect partner for our peacock Tahitian pearls and the Astral Dawn gems will draw out the rose blush overtones of the white Akoya pearls.

In early December, a stunning leverback drop earring to complement our classic diamond leverback earrings will also feature the Blaze and Lagoon gems set against citrines in rich honey tones and imperial purple amethysts.

View the Astral collection here.

We are delighted and thrilled to announce that Winterson has been shortlisted for 'Website of the Year' in the National Association of Jeweller's annual awards for 2017.

The NAJ is the premier industry association in the UK, representing over 2,000 members that operate in every aspect of jewellery. Winterson has been a member of NAJ since 2010. We are honoured to be chosen amongst our peers to be shortlisted for this award.

A new awards category in 2017, Website of the Year recognises outstanding websites that are customer friendly and inspire the user to make an informed purchase.

As a primary point of contact with our customer, we need Winterson's website to behave as if it were a highly knowledgeable member of our customer service team.

During the past year we have introduced a number of key improvements to the website and we hope that these have enhanced your shopping experience with us. These include making improvements to the website's suggestions and search function, the ease of navigation across the site and its ability to work across different devices.

With our independent partner Feefo, we also ask every customer for their genuine feedback on our services. Pearls have always had a unique beauty and quality. We are really delighted to hear some of the testimonials and real-life connections that have been made with our jewellery.

The winner of the Website of the Year award will be announced at a glittering awards presentation on the 7th of December, attended by almost 400 jewellers.

A big thank you to the NAJ and the judges for shortlisting Winterson!

The timeless beauty and versatility of pearls make them an ideal choice of wedding jewellery, with a classic style that can complement any dress.

Not only will you have a beautiful and wearable reminder of your big day, but as pearls photograph so well, you are guaranteed some incredible pictures to cherish too.

There are several factors you may wish to consider when selecting your pearls to ensure they provide the perfect finishing touch.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Unless you have a heritage piece that you are determined to wear, it is best to select your dress and any headpiece or veil you might wear, before looking at your jewellery options.

As your dress should be the main event, a ‘less is more’ approach such as with a classic Akoya pearl necklace would be wise to follow when it comes to your jewels.

There are some simple rules that are best to keep in mind. If you are wearing an elaborate headpiece, you may need to forgo wearing a necklace. But if your dress has a simply cut style, then you can be a little more daring with your jewellery.

YOUR NECKLINE

Before deciding on the type of pearl to wear, you need to establish which pieces of jewellery will work best with your dress.

Sweetheart

A short pendant or string of pearls will complement a sweetheart neckline. And while there is plenty of bare skin to play with, it is best to avoid longer chains which may lessen the impact of this stunning bridal shape. Choose a necklace of between 42 and 45cm in length.

Combine with matching earrings, or if you decide against a necklace entirely, go for more striking statement pearls for your ears, such as the Lief Enchanted Earrings in White Gold and Freshwater Pearls, designed by Alice Cicolini.

Strapless

Arguably the most versatile of necklines, strapless dresses can carry almost any type of jewellery.

While you can keep things simple with a subtle pearl choker, this neckline also offer the opportunity to go for bolder earrings or a chunkier necklace.

V-neck

This neckline is perfect for pendants. Choosing a freshwater pearl combined with a diamond will see you exuding bridal chic.

 

Alternatively, this shape also lends itself to the classic charm of a double strand or looped long pearl necklace.

CHOOSING THE TYPE OF PEARLS

It’s also important to consider the shade of your dress when choosing your gems.

Freshwater pearls are a dream match for ivory and cream wedding dresses, while Akoya pearls will complement a white gown.

Ivory and cream dresses can also be lifted by the golden tones of South Sea pearls.

MATCH YOUR METALS

If your dress is of a bright white hue there’s a chance gold embellishments will clash, so go for pearls set on white gold or platinum.

Off-whites work with both gold and silver tones, while gold jewellery can make the most of yellow undertones in ivory and cream gowns.

SOMETHING BLUE?

Depending on your colour scheme, your jewellery offers a perfect opportunity to elegantly work in your ‘something blue’.

Blue Sapphire Stud Earrings in White Gold with Akoya Pearls offer the perfect lift to a stunning bright white dress, while Sophie Breitmeyer’s Blue Sapphire and Akoya Pearl Pendant could add an ideal modern twist to a vintage inspired dress.

Discover more about buying pearls and choosing jewellery by reading our expert guides, or view the wedding collection here.

With a heritage of working with pearls for over 50 years, one of the most frequent questions that we are asked at Winterson is what are the best pearls to buy. In this article we look at the most popular types of pearls and some tips to consider.

The classic pearl

The most popular image of the pearl is the classic round white pearl, draped in long elegant flowing strands, worn as a pretty stud earring or as a symbolic piece of jewellery for a new bride.



Image: Classic Akoya Pearl Jewellery Set

These styles will always be fashionable and versatile, but there are many other wonderful colours, sizes and shapes of pearls to buy. Before making a decision, it can be worthwhile exploring a little more about this beautiful gem.

Types of pearls

There are four main types of cultured pearl, including Freshwater pearls and three types of saltwater pearl known as Akoya pearls, Tahitian pearls and South Sea pearls.

Their size can range from as little as 1.5mm in diameter to as much as 20mm in diameter, with round, drop, oval and asymmetric baroque shapes. Their natural colours can include creamy whites, pastel shades of pink, peach and apricot, cooler hues of silver, grey, blue, purple and black and the warm opulence of gold.

Image: Freshwater and Saltwater Pearl Shapes

Each pearl will also have been carefully cultured in a mussel or oyster for between 6 months and 3 years and their quality, uniqueness and rarity will increase their value. The difference in price between a small pearl with poor lustre and a perfectly round, excellent lustre pearl can be significant.

Is there a best pearl to buy?

There really is no straightforward answer as to 'what are the best pearls to buy' or 'what are the best pearls in the world'. If you are thinking of purchasing or wearing a piece of pearl jewellery, our advice would be to always consider the grading of the pearl, particularly its lustre, and how the design of the jewellery complements the pearl.

Pearl grading

Choose a piece of pearl jewellery that has been graded by an expert. There are several different grading systems used across the industry. We use the GIA Pearl Description System to describe the pearls in our jewellery, as this is one of the best known and reputable.

We also contract an independent organisation called Feefo to ask all our customers for their genuine feedback on each purchase from Winterson. This feedback is unedited by us and is published on our and Feefo's websites, acting as a marker of the quality you can expect from a Winterson pearl.

Do be careful when no information about a pearl is presented or when a pearl is described as being of AAAA quality.

The importance of lustre

Lustre is a grading factor that is used to describe how a pearl reflects light from its surface. This is one of a pearl's best qualities and is quite unlike any other gem. The best pearls to buy should have lustre that is sharp and mirror-like, catching the light and the eye.

Image 1: Freshwater Drop Pearl and Diamond Pendant in White Gold
Image 2: White Gold Diamond Leverback And Akoya Pearl Earrings

One of our favourite pearls is the classic Akoya pearl, which is admired for its stunning lustre, as shown above with our Leverback earrings.

Beautiful jewellery design

Our third recommendation would be to choose a design that shows off the best features of the pearl. For example, we love the way that our Luna Rose Tahitian Pearl and Sapphire Ring, pictured above, contrasts the round shape and unusual aubergine colour of the Tahitian pearl with the rectangular shape and candy colour of the pink sapphire gem.

Using colourful gemstones to draw out the pearl’s myriad overtones is one technique that we use at Winterson. You can read more about our design inspirations and how we work with colour here.

If you have any questions about the best pearls to buy, our jewellery or our website, our Customer Care team would be happy to help you. Or learn more about the different Types of Pearls in our Guide to Buying Pearls here.