The great jewelers of the Rue de la Paix and Place Vendôme avidly sought out the finest pearls, pairing them with platinum and diamonds. It was the Belle Époque, when jewels were notable for their whiteness, luster, lightness, geometry and aristocratic inspiration. The heads, ears, necks and wrists of the elite—queens, first ladies and courtesans—and their entourages were embellished with pearls. The most coveted pearls were small specimens from the Gulf, recognizable for their creamy and sometimes slightly pinkish hue.
