Two materials have defined Isaac Westman since the start: pearl and diamond. Pearl was the founding category in 1982. Diamond came as the workrooms that supplied U.S. retailers expanded what they offered. Forty years on, the combination of the two — pearl with diamond accent, diamond with pearl drop — has become the most identifiable register of the collection.

Why the combination works

Diamonds reflect light by refraction. Pearls reflect it by surface luster. The two read very differently against the skin, and the contrast is what makes the pairing — a pavé halo around a single pearl, a row of diamond accents below a Tahitian drop, a freshwater strand finished with a small diamond station. The diamond gives the pearl edge; the pearl gives the diamond softness.

How we source the diamond side

Our diamonds come through our cutters in the major diamond centres. Centre stones at one carat and above carry GIA or IGI certification. Accent diamonds are hand-matched at the atelier for colour, clarity, and proportion. The atelier standard: VS2 or better in clarity, H–I or better in colour.

Conflict-free sourcing isn't a marketing line — it's the structural choice that comes with working directly with established cutters. We don't move stones through middlemen.

How we source the pearl side

Pearls come from where they grow best. Akoya from Ago Bay in Japan. Tahitian from French Polynesia. South Sea from Australia and Indonesia. Freshwater from cultivated farms. We were one of the first direct importers of freshwater pearl in the United States in 1982, and the relationships from then still feed the current collection.

Every pearl that carries our name is selected at the source for luster, surface, and overtone. Then matched, sized, and finished at the New York atelier.

Craft

The atelier work is what separates a piece of pearl jewelry from a piece of Isaac Westman pearl jewelry. Each setting is hand-finished — even tension across the prongs, flush mounting against the pearl drilling, hidden clasps that close silently. Pearl strings are knotted between each pearl on silk thread, so a broken strand never loses more than one pearl. Each piece is reviewed and approved by the atelier before it carries our name.

Care

The diamond half of a piece is the easier half. Wipe with a soft cloth after wear; avoid bleach, chlorine, and harsh chemicals. The pearl half is the more delicate. Apply perfume and lotion before the piece, never after. Wipe gently after wear; store flat in a fabric pouch. We restring and inspect pearls as part of our complimentary annual service.

Enchanting. Intriguing. Refined.

Explore the Pearl Atelier · The Diamond Collection