Not a revival, exactly. More that everyone else caught up.

Pearls never stopped being made, sold, or worn. What changed is where they sit — in the back of the case for most of two decades, and now at the front again.

We should be honest about our vantage point: we are a pearl house, we have been one since 1982, and we are not a neutral observer of a pearl trend. What we can tell you is what we see in our own order book, which is that pearl inquiries have shifted from gifts for older recipients toward buyers choosing pearls for themselves.

What's driving the pearl return

Three things, as best we can tell.

Quality at the value tier improved dramatically. Freshwater pearls were rice-shaped and chalky twenty-five years ago. Today the better farms produce genuinely round pearls with luster that competes with Akoya, because they implant fewer per mussel and grow them longer. A whole price tier became worth buying.

Men started wearing them. Which is less a novelty than a return — men wore pearls prominently for most of recorded history, and the association with women is a twentieth-century Western convention. Dark and baroque pearls on a cord have moved firmly into men's jewelry.

The styling rules broke. The matched set — strand, earrings, bracelet, all worn together — was the thing that made pearls read as dated. Once people started wearing one pearl piece with everything else being something else, the material stopped carrying the association.

How we're wearing them

• Layered lengths. A choker with a matinee, often with a fine gold chain between them. Two strands at different lengths read as considered; one reads as traditional.
• Mixed metals. Pearls with gold that does not match the clasp. The mismatch signals that you chose them rather than inherited the set.
• Baroque over round. Irregular shapes look deliberately modern, and they cost considerably less than perfectly matched rounds of the same size.
• Dark over white. Tahitian works with black and navy where white pearl can look stark.
• One piece, not a parure. A single Tahitian drop with no necklace at all is a stronger look than the full set.

More on this in how to care for pearls and the pearl jewelry gift guide.

What Isaac Westman brings to the trend

Mostly, we were already here.

Pearls accept a wider range of design treatment than most gems — the Tahitian and South Sea ranges in particular reward designers who treat the pearl as the centerpiece rather than the accent. That is what we have been doing for four decades, and it is why our collection did not need rebuilding when the styling changed.

The sourcing matters more than the design, though. We buy direct from the farms, which means we see a harvest before it is sorted for export. In a category where quality claims are unregulated and letter grades mean whatever the seller decides, that is the only real guarantee there is — see what AAA pearl grading actually means.

Where to start

A note on care

Pearls are soft — softer than any gemstone — and the new way of wearing them, constantly and casually, is harder on them than the old way of saving them for occasions.

Last on and first off, after perfume and hairspray. Wipe with a soft cloth after wearing. Never an ultrasonic or a steam cleaner. Store flat and separately from diamonds, which will scratch nacre.

And wear them anyway. Contact with skin genuinely helps keep nacre from drying out — a strand worn monthly stays better than one kept in a safe. Complimentary restringing and inspection are part of our annual service.

Frequently asked questions

Are pearls back in style in 2026?

Yes, though the way people wear them has changed more than the pearls themselves. Baroque shapes, dark Tahitian pearls, mixed metals, and single strands worn casually have replaced the matched strand-and-earring set. The material is the same; the styling is what reads as current.

How do you wear pearls without looking dated?

Wear one pearl piece and let everything else be something else. Layer two strands at different lengths, pair pearls with gold that does not match the clasp, or choose a single Tahitian drop with no necklace. The matched set is what makes pearls look old-fashioned.

Can men wear pearls?

Yes. Men wore pearls prominently for most of recorded history, and the association with women is a relatively recent Western convention. Dark Tahitian and baroque pearls, usually a single larger pearl on a cord or chain, are the most wearable choice.

Which pearl should I buy first?

Pearl stud earrings of around 7mm, in Akoya or well-matched freshwater. They are the most-worn piece of pearl jewelry, suit almost everyone, and work for everyday wear as easily as for formal occasions.

Browse the pearl collection, pearl earrings, and pearl necklaces, or read which pearl is right for me.

Elegantly modern. Forever classic.

ISAAC WESTMAN® · New York · Founded 1982