Imitation pearls have been around since the 13th century, so it’s not uncommon to inherit pearls that you’re unsure are genuine. We are happy to assess them upon receipt. If they are sentimental, many of our designs will work with genuine or imitation pearls. One tip to see if they may be imitation is rubbing a pearl against your tooth. Fake pearls typically feel smooth and glassy against your tooth where as the natural nacre should feel gritty. Another area to look at is the drill holes, imitation pearls usually have a larger drill hole and you may see some flaking. Genuine pearls are drilled with as small of a hole as possible for the design.

We love renovating pearl jewelry. Ultimately it depends if you feel you’ll enjoy wearing your pearls in an updated design. If you strongly dislike pearls, they may not be the right material to prioritize for your renovation project.

We like to start with a preliminary consultation phone call to understand what you're looking for and make sure we're the right fit for the project. We've found our phone appointments to be a very focused and effective format.

Once we have a bit of clarity and direction, you're welcome to visit in-person at our Flatiron NYC studio for any followup questions, and to drop off your materials with us. We're always happy to arrange that!