LEGEND HAS IT that more than 2,000 years ago, Cleopatra bet Marc Antony that she could consume the world’s most expensive meal. She crushed a large pearl, dissolved it into a glass of wine vinegar, and drank it. The Egyptian ruler clearly understood the extraordinary value and power of a pearl. For millennia, humans have pursued the jewels of the sea—pearls and coral—and imbued them with healing properties, power and symbolism. This desire (which sometimes veered on obsession) was so great that pearl-bearing oysters were nearly hunted to extinction and coral reefs were greatly depleted.

Luckily, the industrious Kokichi Mikimoto pioneered cultured pearls off the coast of Japan in 1893 and gave us a new source for the luminous jewels, while diligent Italians developed methods to propagate the deep red Mediterranean coral that is favoured in jewellery. Now the jewels of the sea face another peril: climate change. Rising temperatures and volatile weather

events are impacting the ecosystems where fragile pearl-bearing oysters and coral reefs thrive. “During the past five years, the production of high quality pearls has become noticeably more challenging because of extreme variations in temperature, acidity and food availability,” says Jacques Christophe Branellec, Executive Vice President and Deputy C.E.O. of Jewelmer, whose farms off the Palawan islands in the Philippines produce 80 per cent of the world’s magnificent golden South Sea pearls. Over the past decade, Jewelmer’s pearl production has dropped by half. Growing the pearls is a labour of love: they are nurtured in rare Pinctada maxima

oysters, and divers clean and care for each oyster regularly for an average of five years to produce a single pearl.

Pearl farmers and jewellers are working to combat the issues caused by the effects of worsening climate change and pollution. It’s also an increasingly important matter for consumers, who expect brands to be environmentally conscious. “We are seeing a new generation of buyers who care about the environment and society more than ever, and they translate those beliefs into brand loyalty,” says Anisa Kamadoli Costa, Tiffany & Co.’s Chief Sustainability Officer. The Tiffany & Co. Foundation has long been a leading supporter of ocean scientists and researchers working to advance coral and marine conservation, and in 2004 the brand announced that it would stop selling coral jewellery. “Coral is a living animal—not a plant or a rock—and it is the cornerstone of vibrant oceans,” explains Kamadoli Costa. Almost a quarter of the planet’s coral reefs—which provide critical habitats for around a quarter of all marine species—are so damaged that they are considered beyond repair, she reports. And another two thirds are under serious threat from climate change, overfishing and pollution.

THE PARADOX IS that healthy pearl farms and coral reefs actually improve the ocean’s ecosystem. Jewelmer’s pearl farms in Palawan are considered biogenerators because they help to cultivate the richness of marine life without depleting the surrounding natural resources. Jewelmer has worked with the Philippine Coast Guard and other government agencies to protect the waters around its farms from destructive and polluting practices, such as dynamite and cyanide fishing.

On Australia’s remote Kimberley coast, Paspaley cultivates what are considered the world’s most exceptional white South Sea pearls. In the 1950s, Nicholas Paspaley witnessed the destruction of local natural pearl sources from overfishing, and he partnered with the Japanese experts to cultivate pearls in Australia using wild Pinctada maxima oysters. According to Michael Bracher, Paspaley’s grandson and an executive director of the company, data from the Western Australian Fisheries Department—which has maintained water temperature records in the region since about 1980—suggests a trend of increasing water temperature. Still, he says he hasn’t observed any noticeable influence on the wild pearl oyster fishing grounds to date. “Our skilled divers collect our wild oyster quota by hand,” he explains. “Although logistically complex, this is an environmentally friendly and sustainable

of theDEEPPearls and coral have been prized for millennia, but a modern

threat is endangering these timeless jewels: climate changeBy J I L L N E W M A N

form of collection that causes no damage to the seabed.” Paspaley is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, which assesses the environmental sustainability management of wild fisheries to ensure that they adhere to best practices.

As in other industries, such as travel and fashion, jewellery consumers are increasingly engaged and informed about the products they purchase, but the pearl industry has been slower to disseminate information about its practices. “Just as we are seeing growing concern and interest in how stones are mined and fashion items are produced, I am hopeful that this interest will also manifest itself in the conditions of pearl farming,” says London-based designer Melanie Georgacopoulos, who

GOING FOR GOLD

Above, clockwise from centre: necklace by David Morris; Claudette Colbert as Cleopatra; Pearl Deco ring by David Morris; ring by Annoushka; an oyster reveals a pearl in Fiji. Right: Berlingot earrings and La Mer en Majesté necklace, both by Jewelmer; pearl-bearing oysters at Jewelmer Pearl Farm

HIDDEN GEMS

Clockwise from below: Schlumberger® Flowers and Bars necklace and Winged earrings, both by Tiffany & Co.; diving for pearls; signature Lavalier piece by Paspaley; a pearl is revealed from one of Paspaley’s Pinctada maxima oysters

“Paspaley’s skilled divers collect our wild oyster quota by hand—a logistically complex but sustainable form of collection”

TREASURES

EV

ER

ETT

CO

LL

EC

TIO

N/B

RID

GE

MA

N I

MA

GE

S (

CL

EO

PATR

A);

C

RA

IG H

EN

SH

AW

(O

YS

TER

); M

AR

C J

OS

SE

(P

EA

RL

FA

RM

)

TIF

FAN

Y &

CO

. (D

IVE

R)

V A N I T Y F A I R O N J E W E L L E R Y 5 55 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0

cuts, sands and shapes pearls into innovative jewellery designs. Like so many creative designers, she is fascinated by these unique treasures formed in the ocean. “Each one has to be made by a little animal at the bottom of the sea, and when extracted from the oyster they are ready to be set—they don’t need any faceting or polishing the way most other gemstones do.”

CONSUMERS OFTEN HAVE no idea where their pearls come from, but designers like Annoushka Ducas are starting to share the stories behind their pearls. After a visit to a small golden pearl farm in the Philippines, the London-based jeweller discovered firsthand how the farm was employing sustainable practices and supporting local villages and fishermen. “I can help these communities thrive by buying direct,” she says, “and my clients are interested in these stories.” Ten per cent of the sales of Ducas’ Hidden Reef collection, which was inspired by coral reefs and the “majestic world beneath the sea”, is donated to the No More Plastic Foundation, which helps to keep the oceans clean.

One new initiative that plans to connect pearls to the beauty and fragility of the oceans from which they originate is Jonathan Landrey’s Pearls for Oceans. The initiative, which launched on World Oceans Day (June 8), partners with pearl jewellery designers to create pieces where the proceeds from the sale of the jewellery will be used to support healthy coral reefs, kelp forests, and seagrass meadows. “The future of the pearl industry is completely linked to the future of climate change and pollution,” says Landrey, who studied pearl

environments while living in Fiji, and now divides his time between London and Brussels. Among the groups he supports is Secore, a U.S.-based N.G.O. that is developing coral nurseries and techniques both on land and in the ocean to dramatically increase baby corals’ ability to survive and make corals more resistant to increased temperatures. “If coral reef environments don’t survive, all the species that depend on them will move away and the ecosystem will collapse,” he explains.

Christina Assael, whose late husband Salvador Assael started the first commercial pearl farm in Tahiti, seeks out a range of top-quality pearls for the

RED, WHITE AND BLUE

Clockwise from top left: necklace from a collaboration by Melanie Georgacopoulos and Tasaki; Cube stud earrings and Corner Pearl Nacre ring, both by Melanie Georgacopoulos; Medusa necklace and earrings; Cappio ring, all by Fabio Salini; earrings by Annoushka; Iloilo, Philippines, where Annoushka sources her golden pearls; hand-painted illustration of an Annoushka necklace

PEARLS OF WISDOM

Above, from left: the Tasaki Akoya pearl farm in Kujukushima, Japan; Danger Tribe necklace and Danger Signature ring, both by Tasaki; Akoya oysters in baskets; Pearl Deco earrings and Empress choker, both by David Morris

“The Italian coral reminds me of our summers, awakening my emotions and my creativity,” says Fabio Salini

Assael collection, including the rare melo melo and conch pearls, and has observed a change in the supply. “The harvests produce fewer and fewer large, fine pearls,” she says, noting that she buys from farmers around the world with whom she’s had relationships for decades.

Tasaki has minimised the impact of climate change on its Akoya pearl farms in Japan and Myanmar through a range of measures, including artificially seeding their own baby Akoya oysters internally. Its founder, Shunsaku Tasaki, established his first cultured pearl farm in 1933 in Japan, and the country’s

designs, says the Italians have done a good job cultivating coral. “The Italian coral reminds me of our summers, awakening my emotions and my creativity,” he observes. “Moreover, since its production is regulated and limited, it comes with a certificate and it’s easily exportable. Its sourcing is controlled, so that each bank of coral is exploited for a limited period and then protected to permit growth and development.”

Innovative farming techniques and sustainable practices will help these industries, but a greater worldwide effort is needed to ensure the future of pearl and coral because one thing is certain: designers, as well as their customers, still desire beautiful jewels from the sea. “Pearls are one of my favourite gemstones to design with, especially conch pearls,” observes Jeremy Morris of David Morris. “They display a shimmering fire that can’t be found in any other jewel.” The pretty pink conch pearls with a glossy finish that is similar to coral are nurtured in conch mollusks, which are found in the Caribbean. It takes around 10,000 to 15,000 conch shells to find a single conch pearl, and less than 10 per cent of those are gem quality, explains Morris. The meat from the conch pearl is considered a delicacy and enjoyed by locals, so nothing goes to waste.

 The allure of—and passion for—pearls is no smaller today than it was during Cleopatra’s era. “Pearls are believed to bring wealth and luck, as well as symbolising generosity and loyalty,” says Morris. “So the more you wear them, the more likely it is that good fortune will be on your side.” n

expertise in culturing pearls has played a role in the development of the industry in the Philippines and Australia.

As for coral supply, the Italian government keeps a tight control on the harvesting of their coveted deep red coral in order to keep the stock consistent, and new companies are developing ways to create commercially farmed coral to conserve the natural specimens. One such venture is Coral Vita, a land-based coral farm in Grand Bahama. It uses technology to accelerate coral growth and speed up reef restoration over months rather than decades. The process, it explains, “increases species diversity, while strengthening coral resilience to deal with threats caused by global heating”.

Rome-based designer Fabio Salini, who features the rich red Mediterranean coral (corallium rubrum) in his striking

V A N I T Y F A I R O N J E W E L L E R Y 5 75 6 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0