Pearl Jewellery
Pearl jewellery has been part of our collection at Stelios Jewellers since the store stated in 2007. The South Sea pearling industry runs the Kimberley coast from Broome north, and the Pinctada maxima oysters that grow Australian South Sea pearls produce some of the finest pearls available anywhere in the world.
We work directly with the WA growers who supply our loose pearls. You can view our pearl jewellery collection below or learn more about our approach to Australian South Sea pearls in our studio.
Australian South Sea Pearls From The Broome Coast
The Pinctada maxima, also called the silver-lipped or gold-lipped pearl oyster, is found along the Western Australian coast and produces the world’s largest cultured pearls. Australian South Sea pearls range from white and silver through cream, champagne and gold, and are valued for their natural lustre, thick nacre and substantial size, often between 9mm and 18mm. The slow growth conditions of the Kimberley waters produce pearls with depth of colour and surface quality that simply cannot be replicated by faster-growing freshwater pearls.
Our connection to the WA pearl industry runs through several decades of relationships with the growers and graders who supply us. Every Australian South Sea pearl that reaches our Mt Hawthorn studio has been hand-selected from loose parcels, often in person, before being matched into pairs for studs, sized for pendant settings, or strung into strands.
Our Pearl Jewellery Collection
Our exquisite collection covers the full range of pearl jewellery a Perth client tends to ask for. Pearl studs, drop earrings, single pearl pendants, layered Keshi necklaces, baroque South Sea strands and Tahitian black pearl pieces all sit on the showroom floor. We also keep stock of pearl bangles in white gold and rose gold, evil eye pearl bracelets that have become a quiet signature of our showroom, and bespoke designs that pair pearls with diamonds, sapphires, aquamarines and coral.
Many of the pieces in the collection are one of a kind, designed and finished in our workshop by a bench team that carries roughly two centuries of combined experience. We are proud to have crafted the 2020 Miss Universe Australia crown, which sits among the more visible commissions to leave our studio, and our pearl work for private clients across Australia runs in a similar vein: detail driven, hand finished, made for a specific wearer.
The Pinctada Maxima Oyster And What It Produces
The Pinctada maxima takes between two and three years to produce a single pearl of marketable size, and the largest South Sea pearls require longer. Each oyster produces only one pearl at a time, which is part of why genuine Australian South Sea pearls command the prices they do. The shell itself, with its characteristic silver and gold lipping, has been part of WA Indigenous cultural and trade history for thousands of years.
A finished pearl carries the natural lustre of the oyster’s nacre, often with subtle imperfections (small flat spots, faint banding, or slight irregularities in shape) that mark each pearl as a unique piece. Round pearls are the most sought-after for studs and pendants, while baroque pearls, with their irregular forms, suit one-off design work where the shape of the pearl drives the piece around it.
Caring For Pearl Jewellery
Pearls are softer than diamonds and sapphires, sitting at around 2.5 to 4.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, and they need different care from the gemstones we usually set into engagement rings. We recommend wearing pearls after applying makeup, perfume, sunscreen and hairspray, never before. A soft cloth wipe after each wear removes the natural oils and residue that dull the surface over time.
Pearls should not be soaked, scrubbed, ultrasonically cleaned or exposed to harsh chemicals. Store them in a soft pouch separately from harder jewellery to prevent scratches. We are happy to restring strands when the silk thread softens with wear, and we offer a clean and inspection service for pearl pieces alongside the engagement ring servicing we run.
A Recent Joondalup Commission
A client from Joondalup came to us with three loose Australian South Sea pearls that her grandmother had bought directly from a Broome grower in the 1980s and never set. The pearls were beautifully matched at around 12mm, in soft cream with a hint of champagne overtone, and had sat in a jewellery box for forty years.
We designed an 18 carat yellow gold drop pendant for the largest pearl, with a hand-set marquise diamond above the cap, paired with matching long hook earrings using the other two pearls. The setting was deliberately quiet so the pearls themselves carried the piece. Build time was six weeks. The client wore the set to her daughter’s graduation that spring, which was the moment the family had been holding the pearls for.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few of the questions we are asked most often about our pearl jewellery.
Are Australian South Sea Pearls Worth The Price?
Yes, in our view. The combination of size, thick nacre, natural lustre and slow Kimberley growth conditions produces pearls of a quality that freshwater pearls and most other South Sea sources cannot match. They are the finest pearls produced anywhere in the world.
How Can I Tell A Real Pearl From A Synthetic One?
Real pearls feel cool to the touch when first picked up and warm gradually against the skin. Synthetic pearls remain at room temperature. The surface of a real pearl shows fine ridges or imperfections under close inspection, while plastic or glass imitations are uniformly smooth.
Do You Sell Tahitian And Freshwater Pearls?
Yes. Our exquisite collection includes Black Tahitian pearls, freshwater pearl pieces and baroque pearl strands alongside our Australian South Sea range. Each has its place depending on the wearer and the piece.
Can You Restring An Old Pearl Strand?
Absolutely. Restringing pearl necklaces and bracelets is a regular service in our workshop. We use silk thread with knots between each pearl to prevent loss if the strand breaks, and we match the existing clasp or replace it on request.
Can You Design A Bespoke Pearl Piece?
Yes. Bespoke commissions are part of what we are known for at our Mt Hawthorn workshop, including pearl rings, pendants, earrings, bangles and strands. We will work from your loose pearls or source matched stones for the design.
Visit The Pearl Collection In Perth
Pearl jewellery is best chosen with the pearls in your hand, where the natural lustre, surface quality and subtle colour overtones reveal themselves under proper light. We invite you to spend time in our Mt Hawthorn studio with the loose Australian South Sea pearls, freshwater pearls, Tahitian pearls and finished pieces from the collection laid out for comparison.
