What is Pearlcore? The 2022 Fashion Trend

[Triple stud earring H4874/W, Pearl pull-through H4874/W,Pearl T-bar necklace H4875/W, Pearl charm H4890/Y, Pearl twist rings H4643/S/Y, Double-link curb bracelet with hinged link H4888/Y, Braided T-Bar H4849-20 ]

What is Pearlcore? The 2022 Fashion Trend

What is Pearlcore?

Trends never take too long to come back around, and there’s one in particular that’s having a renaissance right now: pearls. Pearls have always been a focal point of fashion, with a rich history that’s associated with royalty, aristocrats and Hollywood stars. And now, they’re gracing designs and catwalks once more. There has been a steady rise in sales of pearls for a few years now, just on the cusp of a rebirth in popularity. However, the time has come for a spectacular surge in adoration and demand with the rise of ‘Pearlcore’. The Pearlcore trend is far-reaching, resonating across many age groups, genders and styles. A little touch of celebrity endorsement and daring and edgy designs have also helped this resurgence.

So, what is it exactly?

Well, Pearlcore isn’t just rooted in fashion or jewellery but rather it’s a whole lifestyle-themed trend. It encompasses adding pearl accents to anything and everything, from your wardrobe, shoes and nails to homeware and jewellery, of course. Remember rose gold-colour everything? Well, this is pearl everything!

The history of Pearlcore

Found buried in oyster shells, pearls are the hidden treasures of the sea. They’ve long been considered a classic staple in the jewellery world and a symbol of perfection, long life and fertility.

Their rise in popularity started on the runway with designers such as Coco Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Carolina Herrera, and Simone Rocha styling with the valuable gemstone.

From there, celebrities took up the style baton, with the likes of Audrey Hepburn taking pearls to a whole new stratosphere thanks to her iconic Breakfast at Tiffany's look.

And nowadays, gemstones are adorning in vogue household names from Harry Styles to Billie Eilish, and who can forget Emma Radacanu who wore Tiffany’s 30,000 pearls at Wimbledon?

But it’s not just superstars who are charmed by this iridescent gem. Pinterest has reported that search terms such as "pearl gown" and "pearl ring" are regularly trending, from consumers who are looking to add a little luxe glam to their own style.

Pearlcore feels like a trend that’s here to stay. And once a trend is underway, customers come looking.

[ Hoop and pearl drop H4912/Y, Pearl hoop H4951/Y, Ear cuff H3577/Y]

A buying guide to pearls

Whatever your brand’s style, there are three aspects that make pearls a good choice for your collection:

Variety, versatility and affordability.

Variety

There are many different types, colours and sizes of pearl and pearl products to choose from.

[Freshwater pearl and CZ brooch H3194/W, Hoops with Freshwater pearl H5036/Y, Assorted Freshwater pearl studs R8569]

Real pearls

There are broadly three types of ‘real’ pearl:

1. Natural pearls

Pearls are made by marine oysters and freshwater mussels as a natural defence against an irritant, such as a parasite entering their shell or damage to their fragile body. The oyster or mussel slowly secretes layers of aragonite and conchiolin, materials that also make up its shell. This creates a material called nacre, also known as Mother of Pearl, which encases the irritant and protects the mollusc from it.

2. Cultured pearls

These are created using a pearl farming technique. When pearls are cultured commercially an irritant is manually inserted into a mollusc to promote the production of Mother of Pearl. They are still 100% real pearls, yet less rare than their natural counterparts.

3. Freshwater pearls

These pearls are farmed, usually using freshwater mussels. Freshwater pearls are the most commonly produced pearls. They’re natural and come in unique shapes and a wide range of colours.

[Hoop with FWP H4910/Y, FWP necklace H4670/Y, FWP on CZ bar-drop earring H1232/W, Coloured FWP triple-drop R9430/S]

These are our favourite pearls here at CME. They naturally occur in pinks, peaches, lavender and white hues, giving a calming, organic aesthetic whilst offering affordable luxury.

Dark or black freshwater pearls are usually colour-treated.

Keshi pearls

These are identified by their unique shape and are a gorgeous by-product of the pearl culturing process. While not strictly considered “cultured pearls” by industry standards, they do not form around a nucleus so tend to be very organic in the way they look.

[Keshi Pearl H4374/S]

Synthetic or plastic pearls

These are man-made beads, often with a pearlescent finish. They’re uniform in appearance and inexpensive, making them ideal for everyday looks

[Shaped hoop with pearl charm H5131/S, 9ct gold pearl drop 3172, Ankle chain with pearl detail R7179]

Mother of Pearl

Mother of Pearl is made from nacre, the same substance that makes the pearl. It’s an iridescent material composed of calcium carbonate and is taken from the inner lining of the mollusc shell. CME prefers natural Mother of Pearl products but a few feature synthetic MOP to keep costs low. The material is always clearly described on the website.

[ Synthetic MOP large ring R2651/M, MOP cufflinks 4935/M, MOP heart necklace H5043/Y, Locket with black agate and MOP H5042/Y]

Shell pearls

Shell pearls are also made from the inner lining of oyster shells, similar to Mother of Pearl. The difference is that the substance is then ground to a fine powder, shaped, dyed and coated with natural pearl nacre and then a protective coating to give it lustre.

Remember, to tell if it’s a real pearl, do the tooth test! Simply rub the pearl against your tooth softly. If the pearl is natural, you’ll feel the surface as gritty. If the pearl is a faux gem, then the surface will feel smooth.

Versatility

If anything is considered a classic in fashion, pearls have a permanent spot at the top of the list.

They exude glamour, have stood the test of time and can tap into a wide range of styling to assimilate any collection or type of jewellery. The timeless single-strand look with pearl studs is an everlasting classic and provides good background sales for weddings and special occasions.

Meanwhile, innovations in design have propelled pearls into modern trends, giving them a stylish upgrade and contemporary spin. Time and again they can be reinvented to create a modern aesthetic when combined with different textures and chains.

All in all, including pearls in your collection means you’re able to appeal to many different types of customers.

[Classical, funky or sophisticated. Visit our pearl collection here to view the full range]

Affordability

With so much variety at play when it comes to types of pearls, you have the flexibility to include a range of price points within your collection.

More than this, there are so many different ways to include pearls within a range. Hoops, necklaces, bracelets and rings have all had the pearl treatment which means designs are suitable for anything, from everyday wear and affordable glamour to special occasions, such as weddings.

[ Triple bead and pearl necklace H4916/Y, Paperchain and pearl bracelet H5159/W, Pearl twist ring H4643/Y, Marcasite and pearl brooch H2978]

We hope you’ve been inspired to add a touch of luxe to your collection through Pearlcore.

If you’d like to find out more about our range, take a look at our pearl collection pages, or contact sales@cmejewellery.co.uk on 0116 283 2240 or our chat line.