Bocca by JLL Pearl

Bocca is the baroque pearl necklace silver chain I made around a single idea: assembling two pearls that should not match, and letting them. One is cream and champagne, 14mm, slow and luminous. The other is smaller — 12mm, pink-mauve, with an iridescence that shifts depending on the light. Together, they hang from a fine 925 silver chain.

The pearls

Both pearls are baroque — rounded, but not uniform, and that is precisely what makes them vivid. I choose each one by hand, because the pairing matters as much as the pearl itself. The cream pearl carries warmth and weight; the pink-mauve catches light differently, cooler and quieter. Moreover, the size difference between them is deliberate. It creates a rhythm — neither pearl competes.

The chain

The chain is fine 925 silver, almost weightless. It gives Bocca its character — more precise, more minimal than a knotted cord. Furthermore, the lobster clasp comes with a short extension chain, so you can adjust the length to your preference. At 40cm, Bocca sits just below the collarbone.

I make each Bocca by hand in my workshop in Greece, choosing every pearl individually. Because no two baroque pearls share the same shade or the same shape, each baroque pearl necklace silver chain is slightly its own. Still, the intention is always the same: an unlikely pairing, made slowly, in a different light each time.

Bocca arrives in its JLL Pearl pouch with a certificate of authenticity. Because I work with natural pearls, no two pieces are identical.

Materials

• Pearls: two baroque freshwater pearls — one cream/champagne, 14mm, AA quality; one pink-mauve iridescent, 12mm, AA quality
• Chain: fine 925 sterling silver
• Closure: lobster clasp with extension chain
• Length: 40cm (adjustable)
• Handmade in Greece by Patricia Mulko