Like any natural product, pearls follow a regimented process that takes them from the capricious sea to the height of civility. These steps from mollusk to market ensure that pearls are perfectly matched and expertly crafted. This is the story of how pearls become jewels. All pearls are prepared for market in some way. Following…
How Pearls are Cultured
Advances in aquaculture during these last 100 years have enabled man to perfect the science of pearling, or pearl farming. Having identified and successfully bred species of oysters with the best pearl-bearing qualities, scientists are able to encourage the production of pearls high in luster and uniform in color. This is the art of pearl…
Noche de Pasión: A Salute to Ballet
The collaboration between Spey and the arts in DC continues with a special participation in Noche de Pasión: The Tango Soirée, presented by The Washington Ballet Women’s Committee, Jeté Society, and Latino Dance Fund Host Committee. Noche de Pasión brings together a dynamic group of hundreds of leaders across business, arts, politics, community, and culture…
The Pearls and the Bees
Where do pearls come from? The creation of a pearl is one of nature’s most beautiful success stories. When an irritant – whether the fabled grain of sand or more likely a parasite – breaches the shell and enters the soft tissue of a mollusk, the mollusk starts a defense. These particles gain entry when…
Opening the Oyster: a Look at Tahitian Pearls
The legendary black pearls from Tahiti are, in reality, neither black nor Tahitian. Having first appeared on the market in the mid-1970s, the exotic and dramatic pearls have grown widely in popularity and are today French Polynesia’s largest export. Named after Hugh Cuming, the English naturalist who first collected the species, the mollusk from which…
The Perfect Pearl for Every Occasion
Pearls are often the go-to gem for understated elegance and classic chic, but pearls don’t back down from trends and trendsetters. From haute couture on the runway to easy Bohemian in the coffee shop, pearls can be styled to fit any look. A demure, princess-length strand of pearls is a corporate staple. Both feminine and…
The Bride Wore Pearls
There is nothing more classic than a bride in pearls. The traditional necklace for walking down the aisle, pearls have been associated with marital harmony for thousands of years. So what pearl jewelry is perfect for the big day? The answer is simple: whatever the bride likes best, but here are some tips for choosing…