Nilufar by JLL Pearl

Nilufar is a pearl necklace with blue topaz at its heart — three faceted stones the colour of the Aegean in late afternoon, when the water holds both sky and depth at once.

Three strands of small freshwater pearls form the body of the piece. Each pearl is round, cream-white, chosen for its even surface and quiet lustre. Together, the strands carry the weight of the central ornament with a softness that no chain could match.

The centre

The centerpiece holds three large oval blue topaz stones, stacked vertically. Smaller sapphires in a deeper, more saturated blue surround them on all sides. The setting is oxidized silver, almost black — a deliberate contrast that makes the stones appear to float within it. However, up close, I set each stone precisely, with attention to the way one colour yields to another: topaz to sapphire, light to dark.

I chose these stones together because they do not match — and that tension is what makes the piece interesting. Moreover, the blue of the topaz shifts in different lights, moving between aqua and sky, between sea and stone.

How it closes

Nilufar adjusts with a sliding cord, ending in two small pearl tips. Therefore, it sits comfortably at any length — close to the collarbone as a choker, or lower on the chest. No clasp, no fuss.

This pearl necklace with blue topaz and sapphire is part of JLL Pearl's permanent collection. Each piece arrives in a JLL Pearl pouch, with a certificate of authenticity.

Materials

• Strands: three rows of small freshwater cultured pearls, cream white
• Centerpiece: blue topaz and sapphire, oxidized silver setting
• Closure: adjustable sliding cord with pearl tips
• Handmade in Greece by Patricia Mulko