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Why pearls matter
WHY PEARLS MATTER…
…And why every woman should have pearls in her jewellery wardrobe
The pearl is the oldest known gemstone and has an amazing history peppered with fascinating stories and iconic women.
Before the 1920’s the only pearls you could buy were naturally occurring ones (strike rate of around 1 pearl per 50 oyster shells). You can see how tricky it would be to find just one pearl, let alone a string of pearls all the same size with a similar colour, lustre and skin tone. Add to that the value of symmetry in the pearl and you begin to understand why Elizabeth the first was draped in rows of pearls. They were the ultimate sign of wealth and status.
By the 1920’s Mikimoto was successfully selling cultured pearls and after a long battle where it was proven that the cultured pearl was indistinguishable from a natural pearl he was given a license to import to the West (in 1924 a French court of justice ruled that ‘cultured pearls do not differ from natural pearls at all’. Halleluiah and thank you kindly. The beautiful pearl could be available to us all.
Following on from this, freshwater pearls were cultured, leading to an even great expansion of access to this gorgeous gemstone. We particularly love the freshwater pearls (grown in freshwater, in large mussels, sometimes 20 to a shell) for their varied shapes, styles and accessibility.
Coco Chanel was the first to release pearls from their rather exclusive history, encouraging women to wear long strings as fashion items rather than heirlooms. Today Alessandro Michele from Gucci is big into pearls and uses them boldly and adventurously.
We love the fact that pearls are so natural - grown by nature and with very little human intervention. They are not mined or cut and manhandled. Their association with strong independent women is legendary. Cleopatra famously claimed to be able to host the world’s most expensive dinner. Marc Anthony must have been somewhat surprised when she took off a pearl earring, dissolving it in a glass of wine and drinking it. Jackie Onassis, Marilyn Monroe, Michelle Obama, Meghan Markle and The Queen – they all have very individual looks and they all wear pearls beautifully.
And why are they so great to wear? Pearls are wonderfully adaptable and take on the spirit of the person who wears them. Some of this is down to the fact that they are very porous so like to be worn to absorb your skins oils and moisture. Some of it is down to the fact that each one is as unique as a fingerprint because they don’t come off a production line. We love the fact that even wearing the same design, no two people will look the same. You can change your look by choosing a pearl hoop, or a pearl ear jacket, or a pearl stud. No other gemstone offers this variety of styles.
Find your ultimate pearl edit with us and please do call us with any questions. We love finding the right piece for you.
WINNER: REACH FOR THE STARS
The winner of the ‘Reach for the Stars’ competition by Guest & Philips has been revealed. We asked you for the codename for the Apollo 11 Lunar Module – it was Eagle; where it landed – The Sea of Tranquillity; and who was the first person to walk on the Moon – Neil Armstrong.
There were hundreds of correct entries so it came down to the tie breaker and the judging panel at Guest & Philips selected a winner: Mr Joseph Clarkson-Hall, who has won the voucher for £1000 to spend instore or online. Congratulations!
Karen Guest telephoned Joseph to surprise him with the news. He said: “Oh wow, great, that’s amazing, thank you.” Karen reminded him his tie breaker said he would get a small treat for himself but a giant gift for his girlfriend, to which he responded: “I might skip the treat and just get the gift for her.”
Karen commented: “It’s been a great way to mark the 50th anniversary of the landing of the first humans on the Moon and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response to our campaign on Beverley FM and in social media.
“I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to enter and I’m only sorry that there could only be one winner, but I hope people enjoyed the historic images, recordings and videos that we’ve shared in the process; bringing back memories for those who watched it at the time and inspiring many others who are too young to remember the Apollo 11 mission itself.”
No doubt the harder challenge for Joseph and his girlfriend will now be how to spend their generous ‘out of this world’ prize of £1000!
Congratulations to you both.
Browse the website now to view the extensive collection of modern and antique jewellery, timepieces, gifts and more at www.guestandphilips.co.uk
REACH FOR THE STARS Competition
Win £1000 GBP Guest and Philips Jewellers Voucher Competition from Blue Aurora Media on Vimeo.
REACH FOR THE STARS AND YOU COULD WIN £1000 TO SPEND INSTORE OR ONLINE
Guest & Philips has launched an exciting free-to-enter competition to mark the 50thanniversary of the landing of the first humans on the Moon in July 1969.
50 years ago Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. Neil Armstrong left the lunar lander nicknamed ‘Eagle’ to set foot on the Sea of Tranquillity with those famous words: “It’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” He was followed onto the surface by Buzz Aldrin who described the “magnificent desolation” of the alien world around him.
Guest & Philips wants to mark the anniversary of this remarkable achievement with a really ‘out of this world’ prize: a £1000 voucher to spend in our Beverley store or online at GuestandPhilips.co.uk
The winner will be able to choose from our extensive collection of quality timepieces, beautiful modern and antique jewellery, plus a wide range of giftware.
You can follow the story of the historic Moon landing, during the competition, in our blogs here, on our social media and Beverley FM on 107.8 FM; including podcasts, videos and photos. We’ll also be asking for your Moon memories and ‘out of this world’ stories of achievement or ambitions to share online. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @guestandphilips for more details.
The closing date is midnight, British Summer Time, on 24July 2019, the day Apollo 11 returned to Earth – mission accomplished! The result will be revealed on 31 July 2019.
Competitors must be at least 18 years of age or over. Please read the full Terms & Conditions at the bottom of our entry form here. All you have to do is register and answer three multiple-choice questions about the historic Moon landing and complete a tiebreaker sentence on what you would spend the £1000 voucher if you won.
All data provided will conform with our Privacy Policyand will not be shared with any third party.
Reach for the Stars
The countdown has completed on our exciting new competition to mark the 50thanniversary of the first humans to walk on the Moon with a very special competition for an ‘out of this world’ prize. Full details here.
Introducing the Seascape collection
The Seascape collection pays homage to Claudia’s love of the sea, which she attributes to being born by the coast and which has kept her gravitating back to the sea all her life, be it the north Cornish coast or her beloved Greek islands. This is a truly personal collection, inspired by the mesmerising, reflective quality of the sea and its natural, regenerative power. Here you’ll find pieces that capture the play of light on water, the precious magic of our oceans and the treasures they offer.
As part of our Seascape collection heroes, the Ripple disc choker necklace, with its five delicate sterling silver discs – all individually hammered by hand before being polished and smoothed off, shimmers like light on water, while the two white seed pearl accents represent the treasures of the sea. The fine silver chain has two extension lengths so can be worn as a choker or longer if desired. Wear this necklace with the Ripple disc bracelet and our Ripple hoop earrings for a simple and sophisticated look.
Another Heroine this season; our Nerissa Keshi Long pendant. This is a statement necklace for lovers of the sea and all its treasures. No two of the large Keshi pearls are the same, making these pendants wonderfully unique. The symmetry of the round silver disc balances the irregular pearl beautifully, which is worn long on a continuous sterling silver chain. This necklace looks gorgeous layered with our Galatea Mother of the pearl pendant.
Central to this collection, our Siren Hoops earrings in silver or 18k gold plate have a delicate hammered texture that creates a sea-like effect which is finished with three white pearl drops, giving these earrings an exotic feel. A beautiful alternative to simple hoops, these earrings are the perfect summer accessory.
