Summer 2025: fall for the baroque pearls in mother-of-pearl
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Time to read 3 min
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Time to read 3 min
This season, baroque pearls are on everyone's lips (and all the runways). Their unique irregular shape, between organic and sculptural, asserts a rebellious and authentic elegance. A trend very present on the spring/summer 2025 runways (Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Simone Rocha, McQueen), where these pearls appear strung or set in oversized pendants, a deliberate contrast with the clean looks.
They symbolize an era where imperfection becomes a style asset: a form totally in the spirit of summer 2025 — bold, natural, and expressive.
Table of contents
The ancient roots
Since antiquity, the pearl has been a symbol of refinement and spirituality. The first natural pearls were extracted from the Persian Gulf, India, and Sri Lanka. They were perceived as spiritual symbols.
The dawn of cultured freshwater pearls
The first modern attempt at cultivating freshwater pearls took place in Japan, in Lake Biwa, in the late 1920s. By the 1930s, fully nacreous pearls, called “Biwa pearls,” were being cultivated, highly prized for their luster and unique colors. Then in the 1960s, farms in Lake Kasumigaura introduced non-nucleated “keshi” pearls via Hyriopsis schlegelii mussels.
Since the 1980s–1990s, China has established itself as the world's leading producer of cultured freshwater pearls, with various shapes (semi-baroque, rice-shaped, round...), at an affordable price.
Natural formation and cultivation principle
Freshwater pearls come from mussels (family Unionidae) in lakes, rivers, or ponds. They form when a fragment of mantle is implanted, triggering the secretion of nacre, forming nucleus-free pearls.
Shape and style
Baroque pearls are characterized by their irregular shape — oval, asymmetrical, frilled, sometimes very expressive. They are particularly common among cultivated freshwater pearls, as they come from non-nucleated implants.
Cultivated freshwater pearls remain significantly more affordable and accessible than marine pearls (South Sea, Tahitian), while allowing for very varied designs.
Origin
Majority China (Hunan, Jiangxi regions)
Historical production in Japan, now limited
Some productions in the United States, but marginal
Sculptural necklaces & layering
Baroque pearls are perfect in multi-strand necklaces or chokers mixed with gold chains or colored pearls – layered for an organic and modern look.
Statement earrings
Dangling, asymmetrical, combining a baroque pearl with minimalist metal or a colorful accent: maximum effect guaranteed in 2025.
Mix of textures & materials
Marine or natural designs: mother-of-pearl, shells, raw stones. Bold alignments or raw/minimal supports.
Unisex style and organic patterns
Oversized rings with baroque pearl to gender-neutral chunky bracelets. The jewelry pearls now adapt to men's/women's or neutral styles, blending minimalism and baroque.
“Mother-of-pearl is the memory of the sea engraved in light.”
On our website and in our Paris Boutique, we offer a wide selection of mother-of-pearl products. Cabochons of different sizes and shapes, pendants, beading threads... Everything you need for trendy and elegant jewelry creations!
Baroque stringing beads: free forms and intense mother-of-pearl, perfect for unique bracelets or necklaces.
Mother-of-pearl cabochons: different sizes and shapes to glue on our pendant supports, earrings...
Pendants: to showcase mother-of-pearl in minimalist or more elaborate settings.
Beads to assemble / to string: ideal for creating dangling earrings or necklaces and bracelets.
Conclusion: mother-of-pearl, timeless luster in the service of creation
A symbol of natural elegance and artisanal delicacy, mother-of-pearl transcends the ages without ever losing its luster. Whether it comes to life in the form of baroque pearls, glue-on cabochons, or mother-of-pearl pendants, it enhances each creation with its unique, changing, and vibrant reflections.
At Perles Corner, we are committed to offering you quality materials to nurture your creativity: stringing beads, worked mother-of-pearl, elements to suspend or assemble... Each piece is an invitation to explore, assemble, and create a piece of jewelry that reflects you.
Let the light play on the iridescent surface of the mother-of-pearl, and together, let's give it a new story to tell.
The author: Kevin Bruneel
Kevin Bruneel is the co-founder of Perles Corner, passionate about creation since always. A former professional dancer and costume designer, he cultivates a keen sense of aesthetics and detail. Since 2012, he has been exploring DIY jewelry trends, selecting quality materials, and sharing his universe through inspiring tutorials and creative advice.
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