The Parisian pearl: past & present

World War II dealt a fatal blow to trade between France and the Gulf region. Many French merchants reoriented their activity around cultured pearls, starting with the Rosenthals, who continue the adventure to this day. . . in Tahiti! To prevent the disappearance of the region’s typical black pearls, which suffered from overfishing in the late 1950s, the French and Japanese joined forces to set up pearl farms in the region. While cultured pearls remained highly popular, especially among younger generations, the natural pearl trade left Paris. 

Pearl fishing zones are now highly protected and controlled: only a tiny number of “new” natural pearls appear on a market that is for the most part sourced from family collections and pearls unset from antique jewelry. But in Paris and around the globe, natural pearls continue to inspire the jewelry elite. 

The start of the twenty-first century saw the emergence of various contemporary art initiatives between France and the Gulf region. Focused on the pearl, they breathe new life into long-standing cultural and human adventures, while also serving to preserve their memory.