What are Majorica Pearls

Memories

I remember seeing Majorica pearls as a child in window shops all over town. They were always placed on top of some sort of red velvety material, and Majorica's red and gold banner was always prominent. My mother, of course, was interested in pearls, as any self-respecting Spanish woman of a certain age had to be, so she owned some cultured pearls and some Majorica ones. Buying pearls was then considered a true investment, and a possible heirloom for the family.
If real pearls or even cultured ones are as out of your reach as they are of mine, these are a great faux option.

Vintage Majorica ads. Majorica pearls have been for decades at the top of the simulated beads market, next to Pearlfection. Both brands are collected by costume jewellery fans.

What are Majorica Pearls

Majorica pearls (not to be confused with Majorca pearls) are high-quality faux pearls produced in a small factory in the Balearic Islands in Spain, in the town of Majorica. They are faux because they are man-made in a factory. To be more precise, they are, and have always been, "woman-made". What probably started because female labour was cheaper than male's (it still is, but we are not going there now), is now probably a tradition. They use solid glass beads as nuclei for the pearls that are then coated with multiple lacquer layers (much as a cinnabar object would be), using what is known in the trade as essence d'orient or pearlessence. They keep the secret of their pearlessence formula zealously, obviously.
Majorica pearls look and feel real or, at the very least, expensive. Apart from their more conservative models (ie. regular pearls in expected colours, frequently in matching sets), which are a bit boring, they have started producing edgier ones, usually either with gold-plated, or in silver or rhodium findings. Slightly more than half of their products are still sold in Spain, although many to tourists, and the rest in the USA. For instance, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue both carry them.

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Follow the label Pearls to learn about how to take care of pearls and more.

Sources:

• For all the photos in the post, www.majorica.com
• Their story, as told by themselves: http://www.majorica.com/historia-glamour
• Their recent history, in El País (in Spanish): http://elpais.com/diario/2007/02/04/negocio/1170597807_850215.html. You can use www.translate.google.com to translate the page.

This post contains no affiliated links.
The label Pearls is a TRL series that is ongoing.
This post was first published on April 19th 2012. The information has been edited and the collages are new.

Costume Pearls

A prized possession

Any self-respecting Western woman of a certain age is, or has always been, interested in pearls. My mother, for instance, has had a lifelong love relationship with hers. She does not own any real pearls, obviously, but rather some cultured pearls, and some good quality costume ones that she takes good care of, storing them in individual velvety sachets.
Until the last decade or so, when massive competition from Asian markets started, buying pearls (a single real one on a ring, perhaps, or a necklace of cultivated ones) was considered a true investment, and a possible heirloom for the family.

What makes a good costume pearl

The best costume pearls use solid glass beads as nuclei which is, the best thing you can use to make faux pearls, as it gives the item the right weight and feeling of authenticity (as good quality faux pearls, that is). I always weigh faux pearls in my hand before deciding on a purchase. Light is bad, substantial good.
The glass beads are coated with multiple lacquer layers (much as a red lacquer or cinnabar object would be), using what is known in the trade as essence d'orient or pearlessence, a high-quality lacquer that does for faux pearls what scales do for fish: reflect different light wavelengths, and create an iridescent look.
Each manufacturer keeps the secret of their pearlessence formula zealously, obviously. Two famed brands are Majorica and Mikimoto.

Classic lengths and beyond

Pearls are very versatile, and can be worn in many different ways.
Classic lengths are:

• Choker 16"
• Princess 18"
• Matinée 22-24"
• Opera 30-32"

A way of updating your traditional lengths is mixing them with others  in different sizes and lengths.
Pearls can also be funky and edgy, especially baroque ones in unexpected colours. Think about your season palette before choosing yours and remember that, if you go with white, there is a right white for each season: bright white for Deep Winters, ivory for Deep Autumns, etc.

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Follow the label Pearls.

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How to take care of pearls, faux and otherwise

A set of rules

To ensure you will be enjoying your pearls, real or otherwise, all your life and eventually turn them into heirlooms, here's how to take care of them:

• 1st Rule: Last on, first off. This means your pearls should be the last thing you put on, after any cosmetic product and perfume has been absorbed or dried. At the end of the day, you take them off first.
• 2nd Rule: Follow the manufacturer's care tips. These tips usually include: storing them in their case, separated from other jewels and metallic pieces, so they don't get scratched, and instructions for cleaning (no chemical or abrasive products, or perfumed soaps, or ultra-sound!). Also, if you do not follow them you will most probably not be covered by their warranty. In the absence of manufacturer's instructions of care, wash them only using warm water and a PH-neutral soap. Leave them spread out on a soft cloth for at least two days in order to allow the thread to dry properly.
• 3rd Rule: Check the knots and thread. Have them professionally restrung when needed (depending on use) or every decade or so.

MORE?
Follow the label Pearls to learn about how to wear them and more.

This post contains no affiliated links.
This post belongs to the TRL series Pearls that is ongoing. It first appeared April 19 2012, the text has been edited and images added.

Style Essentials 1: Pearls

Pearls Are a Girl's Best Friend

Pearls are universally flattering, as they provide a soft glow that is great for all, and especially for aging skin. They are versatile too. Whether funky, edgy, classic, classic with an edge... depending on what you wear them with, there is the right necklace (earrings, bracelet...) out there for you.
Nowadays pearls come in all sorts of shades, including all sorts of whites: ivory, blush, off white... Think about your season palette before choosing yours: bright white for Deep Winters, ivory for Deep Autumns, etc.

Week 7: Pearls à la Coco by Caroline Grant. A B&W combination with red lips is absolutely perfect for Deep Winters and Deep Autumns (in the latter case,  the white should be"broken").  Add pearls and you have created a timeless Chanel moment. If B&W is not for you, you can create this using two different colours.
I saw this ensemble like in this week's newsletter from Ann Taylor and immediately fell in love with it. I will probably not stop until I can reproduce it. It can be professional or casual, depending on the shoes and the handbag. In this set, I decided to go with an edgier, more modern combination, trying to counterbalance the classic, demure combination with the shoes.
The shoe booties actually look really much too high, but the reviews at Ann Taylor are absolutely glowing and insist that they're very comfortable, so here they are.
A sweater with a collar and cuffs attached is an all-time chic statement. DIY IDEA: Attaching  a collar and cuffs from a discarded shirt (too tight, soiled...) to a crew neck sweater. You just need basic sewing skills.A classic jockey cap is a great way of wearing a hat without going mother-of-the-bride going to work.

Debenhams Black Pleated Skirt / Alice & Olivia Collar Sweater / Max & Co. Overcoat / Ann Taylor Peeptoe Shoe Boots / Max & Co. Leather Tote Handbag / Kenzo Hat / Kenneth Jay Lane Pearl Earrings / Yves Saint Laurent Pearl Necklace / Estée Lauder Lipstick in Scarlet Siren / Estée Lauder Nail Lacquer in Enchanted Garden.

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Follow the label Costume Jewellery in the column to the right for style advice on pearls and much more.


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The Horn Editorial

Horn Madness by Caroline Grant. Some of my favourite pieces, and some sets where I have included horn items. As you can see, horn goes with quite different styles!

Horn love

Both high-end, high street, and etsy sellers who import their items straight from the East, are doing horn (buffalo, ox, cow) this season. It's a lovely material, warm and light, which presents different colours (blond, brown, black, and anything in between) and is very flexible and light. Sometimes it is also lacquered.

Some names to watch

The Jewellers: Ashley Pittman and Monique Péan are at the top of the price range.
The Designers: Karen London, Monies, Zeffira, Maria Xuan, Nest, Kora, Indochine.
Etsy sellers:

• Mary Joah's Fine Ox Jewelry.
• Que Cao's QueCraft.
• Organicethnic for extraordinary tribal earrings made from salvaged materials.
• Lapinsexy's shop.

Care

• Do not let horn items fall oo knock against hard surfaces.
• After each use, gently wipe with a soft dry cloth and store in a jewelry box.
• Avoid water, excesive humidity.
• Avoid chemicals (perfume and lotions, detergent, chlorine, polish remover or corrosive substances).
• Keep away from flames and high/low temperatures.

Costume Jewellery: Égotique

As usual, I'm in search of the unusual in accessories. I found a pair of their earrings in Polyvore and went looking for more, in case they also made interesting bracelets, necklaces and rings. Turns out the rings were not what I expected, but there was plenty of the rest.
Égotique is a new brand of jewellery (created in 2013, as far as I can see) created by two young women entrepreneurs: Clizia Monaca, and Martina Raspanti, which is perfect for the lover of geometric shapes. If you are, you are going to adore how they mix triangles, squares, and circles, creating tons of interesting combinations.
They use high-end acrylic resins, and lead-free brass that is subject to a variety plating and galvanizing baths (24kt gold and ruthenium, certified nickel free and hypoallergenic), to create a long lasting product. Their packaging is designed to be used daily, which is great, because storage of costume jewellery is always cumbersome.
In their words, they create for the woman who is " a woman who is confident, feminine, and aware". Well, a romantic she is not, but rather quite tough! I have created some sets featuring them, and will be adding more in the future, because I do like them!
See if it's your style.

Égotique by Caroline Grant.

How to wear statement brooches

Statement pieces say a lot about your taste and style sensibility. My advice is to go with your gut: buy that piece that you feel strongly attracted to, you won't regret it. Although it may be expensive (especially if you go for an established current or vintage brand, or you have something done especially for you), if you choose one that is going to make you feel instantly pulled together and that truly represents you, it will be well worth the expense.

Styling tips

A statement brooch should always take centre stage in your outfit, and continuing its colour scheme in it is a good idea. Always look at your whole body image in the mirror to see the whole effect of your accessories together.

Styling tips for brooches: The Beaded Brooch by Caroline Grant. A Susan Pierle brooch in soft blue and warm metallic tones that are echoed in the outfit, complemented by streamlined earrings in soft beige green. Ms. Pierle designs beaded brooches and other accessories from her workshop in Colorado which are both original and carefully handcrafted. You can visit her blog and her Etsy shop if you are interested in her pieces. [Style: Ladylike with a Twist].

L.K. Bennett Selina Dress / L.K. Bennett Selina Jacket / Closet Lace One-button Jacket / Dooney & Bourke Amazon Shopper Handbag / L.K. Bennett Selina Pumps / Kate Spade thin Bow Belt / Alexis Bittar O'Keeffe Matte Gold Earrings / Susan Pierle Beaded Brooch.

How to wear brooches: At the waist by Caroline Grant. A statement brooch pinned at the waist, so additional jewellery is added as earrings, plain gold hoops, and  ring with a single stone in green. The brooch is Mawi's, a specialist in mixing influences and offering striking contrasts in her jewellery. In this case, it's cameos and hard-edged teardrop crystals. [Style: Modern Classic].

Issa Draped Dress / Issey Miyaki Graphic Aztec Print Jacket / Sophie Hulme Double Plate Tote / Jason Wu RTW 2012 Mary Jane Shoes / Mawi Cameo Brooch / Modernist Gold Hoop Earrings (vintage) / Erickson Beamon Bette Davis Eyes Ring / Iman Lipstick in Iman Red.

You can follow the label Brooches to get more styling tips, learn about places to find great brooches and more.

How to wear brooches

In general, brooches will be your jewellery, so use them sparingly with other items, unless they are on your outerwear, then you can go on. Here, three Alexis Bittar brooches form a cluster that adds texture and colour to an outfit in basic business colours.

Brooches figured nowhere in most women's jewellery boxes until Michelle Obama made them modern for them. I am myself a great fan of vintage brooches and Mawi's.
There is a brooch (or group of brooches) for everybody:

Choose your style

• Figural: animals (either real or mythological: dragons, griffins...) insects, flowers.
• Abstract: perhaps inspired in specific moments in Art history: Art Deco, Egyptian revival, Art Nouveau...
• Costume jewellery, modern or vintage. There are the classics of the past: Kramer, Vendôme, Trifari, Lisner, Kenneth Jay Lane, Butler and Wilson, Schreiner, Coro, Stanley Hagler, Miriam Haskell... And the classics of the future: Alexis Bittar, Mawi, Cilea, Erickson Beamon, Anton Heunis, ... plus the design houses of the past and present.

Styling tips for brooches:

What to wear:

• An oversized brooch that may take center stage of your outfit if it is in a contrasting colour, or just add texture, if it's not (the brooch can relate to any of the colours in the garment, if it's a print).
• A group of small brooches, in an odd number. One can be bigger that the others.
• A potpourri of badges or pins with a common topic: political affiliation, patriotic, thematic (women's suffrage, cats...). To see and example of someone using brooches to send messages, you can read Madeleine Albright's pins.

Where to wear them:

• On the lapel of your coat or cardigan (careful with creating holes there!).
• Your neckline, at a corner or angle, if your neckline has them (the peak of a V-neck, or the corners of a square neckline).
• Pinned on your necklace.
• On your scarf.
• On your hat or beret.
• On your waist, over a sash or ribbon, or at a strategic corner where draping or other details gather.

Always look at your whole body in the mirror to see the whole effect.
You can follow the label Brooches to get more styling tips, learn about places to find great brooches and more.

Where to find great brooches

This brooch comprises some of the things to look for in costume jewellery: it's inspired by an actual piece (which most of us could never afford), a design by C R Ashbee (1863-1942), and good-quality materials: gold-plated with pearls, mother-of-pearl, and rhinestones.

Museum shops carry great brooches

• V&A shop carries a great selection of the most promising or established costume jewellery designers, plus some reproductions, like the one above. It always carries some great costume jewellery brooches, especially by Alexis Bittar, but also other designers.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art shop carries the most amazing selection of reproduction or art history inspired brooches I have ever seen. They have pieces inspired by Tiffany & Co., imperial Russia, Greek art, etc. I spend hours there whenever I visit New York, apart from visiting the collections, of course!

You can find great, original presents in museum shops, which also ship internationally. The great thing about buying at museum shops is that you are supporting the institution with your purchase.

eBay is a great place for vintage brooches

Search for W. Germany brooches, Czech brooches or any of the great brands of American or British costume jewellery designers:

• Kramer,
• Vendôme, 
• Trifari, 
• Lisner, 
• Kenneth Jay Lane,
• Butler and Wilson, 
• Schreiner, 
• Coro, 
• Stanley Hagler,
• Miriam Haskell,
• Monet