ASSAEL
The 2021 COUTURE Show announced its Best in Jewelry Design Award Winners, and we are loving the first-place awardee in the “People’s Choice” category.
Congratulations to Assael on winning with “Winter Branches” pearl and diamond earrings, which are part of the brand’s Four Seasons series. Silvery Blue South Sea and Akoya Pearls, and sparkling Diamond briolettes dance on articulated platinum branches. The design features South Sea Cultured Pearls, Blue Akoya Cultured Baroque Pearls, 14.82 carats of oval briolette diamonds and .67 carats of round diamonds. The stunning earrings are 3.7 inches long with clip backs.
For nearly five decades, the House of Assael has procured the most sought-after pearls in the world with impeccable quality, the highest luster and unwavering consistency. Founded in the 1920s by James Assael, the company has a legacy of curating the finest, which continued with his son, Salvador Assael, who eventually found a love for pearls. Salvador would travel throughout Southeast Asia and Australia seeking to acquire the very finest specimens.
For nearly five decades, the House of Assael has procured the most sought-after pearls in the world with impeccable quality, the highest luster and unwavering consistency.
In the 1960s, Salvador traveled to Tahiti, where he was first shown a black pearl. Within its deep, dark, midnight glow, he recognized the inherent beauty and value, as well as the possibilities of these exotic treasures. He pursued the cultivating of a perfect strand of Tahitian pearls, which proved to be quite a challenge. Salvador purchased land, constructed a runway and assembled a team of highly trained pearlers. With time, patience and a keen respect for nature, Salvador finally felt that he had in his possession a strand that was an exquisite gem necklace.
He returned to New York to visit his dear friend Harry Winston. Upon unveiling his masterpiece, he challenged Winston to sell the first-ever Tahitian pearl necklace in America. Within days, the necklace sold for a very high price. From there, history was made. The name Salvador Assael is now legendary as the inspiration behind the Tahitian black pearl industry, the “Pearl King.”
Salvador’s legacy, tenacity and his relentless quest for the absolute best now serves as the company standard. His wife Christina Lang Assael now oversees all aspects of the company.
“I was privileged to share his life, to travel the world with him and learn from him. Salvador was a giant in the pearl world. He lived and breathed pearls – he loved them with a deep and contagious passion. We will continue to offer the finest, highest quality jewelry that this company is famous for,” she says.
