We get a lot of requests for custom pearl pieces. Over the years, we’ve made ropes more than 100 inches long, dramatic torsades, and even pearl-studded collars for some very spoiled pets. But every so often, a request comes in that stops me in my tracks.
This was one of those requests.
A longtime client reached out asking for something truly rare: an entire strand made exclusively from exceptional Tahitian drop pearls. Not just a few drops used as focal accents, but every pearl in the strand. And she wanted it double length, long enough to wear as a single dramatic strand or doubled at the neck.
It was such an unusual and special project that I decided to document the process.
We’ve featured Tahitian drop pearls in several livestreams, and they’ve always been a favorite of mine. Drops are especially compelling in Tahitian pearls because they tend to show more personality than rounds. The shapes are elegant, the colors are richer, and the overtones can be wildly expressive. Peacock, blue, silver, aubergine, green. Sometimes all in the same pearl.
Most of the time, these pearls are selected one at a time during in-house or virtual appointments. We’ll pour out a bag of gem-quality drops and choose the perfect centerpiece together. These are pearls we’ve pulled from large lots or acquired individually because each one is special enough to stand on its own in a pendant or a custom design.
Building an entire strand from pearls like this is another level entirely.
The first step was color selection. We started by laying out pearls whose body color and overtones spoke to us. The goal wasn’t uniformity. It was balance. Enough contrast that each pearl feels distinct, but enough harmony that the strand flows naturally from end to end. At the same time, we had to maintain a smooth size gradation so the strand would feel intentional and refined when worn.
Once we had a working palette, we arranged the pearls on a board and began fine-tuning the order. This is where symmetry matters. Pearls are moved from one side of the strand to the other, swapped, rotated, and re-evaluated until the rhythm feels right.
After that, the pearls are transferred to a sticky mockup board. This allows us to see the strand exactly as it will appear once finished. We can lift the board, tilt it, and view the pearls from different angles to make sure the color transitions and pairings hold up in real life, not just flat on a table. 
Once the mockup is finalized, the strand is ready for drilling!
And then, the finished strand. Many of the details in these pearls are subtle and don’t fully translate at small sizes. Click the images to view them full size. These pearls are best appreciated up close.
Given its length and the quality of every single pearl, this is without question one of the finest Tahitian drop strands I’ve ever had the pleasure of creating. Every pearl earns its place. Nothing filler. Nothing average.
Every pearl in this strand was selected for its own voice, then arranged so those voices work together as a whole.
Jeremy Shepherd
Pearl Paradise
