Assael at Pearl Paradise
The Assael Collection
For decades Assael supplied pearls to many of the most prestigious jewelers in America. Now the collection is offered directly to the public, piece by piece, from our vault in Los Angeles.
- Offered directlyFor the first time
- One of eachGone once it sells
- See it liveFrom our vault
How it came here
From a New York archive to our vault.
After Christina Assael's passing, the collection's owners stepped away from wholesale and asked us to bring the archive directly to the public. We spent months traveling back and forth to New York, cataloging each piece and transporting the collection to our vault in Los Angeles.
Offered directly
For eighty years these pieces moved only through luxury retailers and private clients. This is the first time they've been offered directly to the public.
One of each
Many were matched over years, with pearls in sizes that are hard to find today. There is one of each, and once a piece sells it's gone.
Most of the jewelry has sold
What remains of the jewelry is in The Vault, alongside one-of-a-kind pieces from other houses.
The strands have a collection of their own.
The strands
Most of what remains is strands.
South Sea and Tahitian strands selected for size, luster and matching. Many took years to assemble, and pearls in these sizes are hard to find today.
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16.0–18.8 mm Round White South Sea Pearl Necklace, 18 inches
$980,000
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15.0–18.5 mm Round White South Sea Pearl Necklace, 34.25 inches
$544,000
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16.0–19.6 mm Round White South Sea Pearl Necklace, 16.75 inches
$320,400
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16.0–20.0 mm Round White South Sea Pearl Necklace, 16.75 inches
$283,200
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16.0-19.5 mm White South Sea Round Pearl Necklace
$280,800
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14.8–20.1 mm Baroque South Sea Pearl Necklace, 35 inches
$267,000
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15.0–19.3 mm Round White South Sea Pearl Necklace, 32.25 inches
$250,080
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15.0–17.1 mm Round Tahitian Pearl Necklace, 18.25 inches
$226,440
Who Assael is
What Mikimoto is in Japan, Assael has been in America.
Salvador Assael's work in the 1950s and 60s played a central role in bringing fine Tahitian, South Sea and akoya pearls to the United States. For decades the house supplied many of the most prestigious jewelers in the country, including Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, and its pieces were offered only through that network of retailers and private clients.
The Assael jewelry now lives in The Vault.
Already sold
Much of it has found a home.
There was one of each. These are a few of the Assael pieces that have already left the safe.
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Sold
15.0–16.9 mm Peacock Tahitian Pearl Necklace, 32.5 inches
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Sold
14.0–17.7 mm Round Golden South Sea Pearl Necklace, 29.5 inches
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Sold
16.0–16.4 mm White South Sea Round Pearl Necklace
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Sold
15.0–17.7 mm Round Golden South Sea Pearl Necklace, 18 inches
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Sold
16.0–20.8 mm White South Sea Round Pearl Necklace, 17 inches
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Sold
10.0–11.0 mm Round Multicolor Tahitian Pearl Necklace, 52.75 inches
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Sold
10.9–13.3 mm Fijian Pearl Necklace
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Sold
9.7–12.0 mm Fijian Pearl Necklace
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Sold
9.0–9.5 mm White Akoya Double Strand Necklace, 35 inches
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Sold
10.0 mm Tahitian Pearl and Burmese Sapphire Ring
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Sold
10.0–12.0 mm Fijian Pearl Necklace
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Sold
9.1–10.0 mm Round White South Sea Pearl Necklace, 18 inches
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Sold
15.7 mm White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Ring
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Sold
J. Hunter Multicolor Fijian Pearl Necklace, 10.0–11.7 mm
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Sold
22.2 x 18.1 x 17.0 mm Baroque White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Ring
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Sold
17.2 by 18.1 mm South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
12.3 to 15.5 mm Round South Sea Multicolor Pearl Necklace
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Sold
16.5 mm Tahitian Pearl and Brown Diamond Ring
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Sold
11.1–13.9 mm Tahitian Pearl Necklace, 17 inches
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Sold
9.4–11.1 mm Fijian Pearl Necklace
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Sold
7.5-10.6 mm Golden South Sea Keshi Pearl and Aquamarine Ring
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Sold
10.9x14.2 mm Golden South Sea Pearl, Tourmaline & Yellow Sapphire Ring
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Sold
14.9–15.2 mm Tahitian Pearl and Amethyst Clip Earrings
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Sold
15 mm South Sea Pearl and Aquamarine Earrings
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Sold
11.0–12.6 mm Round Golden South Sea Pearl Necklace, 15.5 inches
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Sold
9.8–11.5 mm Endless Fijian Pearl Ombré Necklace
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Sold
12.0–13.0 mm and 13.0–13.0 mm Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
12.0–14.3 mm Round Multicolor South Sea and Tahitian Pearl Necklace, 17 inches
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Sold
13 mm and 14 mm Tahitian & South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
16.3x13.0 mm Tahitian Pearl and Tourmaline Earrings
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Sold
10.8-12.7 mm White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Dangle Earrings
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Sold
7.0–13.1 mm Multicolor Baroque and Keshi South Sea and Tahitian Pearl Necklace, 49.5 inches
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Sold
15.0-16.0 mm White South Sea Pearl Earrings
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Sold
13.5 mm White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
12.2 x 13.7 mm White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
11.2 mm Tahitian Pearl and Morganite Ring
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Sold
11.7 x 10.7 mm Golden South Sea Pearl and Petrified Wood Ring
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Sold
13.7 and 13.6 mm White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
10.4–11.2 mm Tahitian Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
11.2 x 13.6 mm Golden South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
13.0 mm White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Earrings
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Sold
J. Hunter 11.0-14.0 mm Fijian Pearl Baroque Necklace, 21.25 inches
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Sold
11.6 mm White South Sea Pearl and Diamond Ring
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Sold
11.9 mm South Sea Pearl Earrings
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Sold
10.1 and 14.2 mm Tahitian Pearl Ring
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Sold
9.1–12.9 mm Baroque White South Sea Pearl Necklace, 18.5 inches
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Sold
5.5–10.3 mm White South Sea Keshi Pearl and Green Sapphire Necklace, 23.25 inches
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Sold
13.0–14.0 mm South Sea Pearl Earrings
Questions
About the Assael Collection
Who is Assael?
Assael is the New York pearl house behind many of the finest pearl pieces sold in America over the past eight decades. Salvador Assael's work in the 1950s and 60s played a central role in bringing fine Tahitian, South Sea and akoya pearls to the United States, and Assael supplied many of the country's most prestigious jewelers, including Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.
How did the collection come to Pearl Paradise?
After Christina Assael's passing, the collection's owners chose to step away from the wholesale model and withdraw it from luxury retailers. Rather than rebuild a wholesale network, they looked for a single partner to represent it with accuracy and a deep knowledge of pearls, and asked us to bring it directly to the public.
We spent months traveling back and forth to New York, cataloging each piece and transporting the collection to our vault in Los Angeles.
Where is the Assael jewelry now?
Most of it has sold. The rings, earrings, pendants and other jewelry that remain are in The Vault, our home for one-of-a-kind pieces, alongside pieces from other houses. The strands have their own collection.
Will more Assael pieces become available?
No. This is a one-time release. There is one of each piece, and once it sells it's gone. Many of the strands took years of matching to assemble, and pearls in these sizes are increasingly hard to source, so they can't simply be made again.
Can I see a piece before I buy?
Yes. Private appointments are available at our office in Los Angeles, and private virtual appointments are available anywhere in the world. Our studio has four dedicated cameras and several lighting environments, so we can show you the luster, surface and color as they really are, and send as many additional photos or videos as you need.
How are returns and shipping handled?
Assael pieces follow our standard return policy. Pieces may be returned within the return window in their original condition. High jewelry shown by private appointment may follow a slightly different process, which we'll explain during your appointment.
Every order ships fully insured. For safety and insurance, shipments valued over $100,000 travel only by Malca-Amit or Brinks, with a scheduled delivery and an adult signature. We'll coordinate the arrival with you.
See it first
See it before you decide.
A private video viewing from our vault in Los Angeles. Choose any piece and we'll bring it to the close-up camera, turn it toward the light, and answer whatever you want to ask.
Book a private viewingNo cost and no obligation. A viewing does not hold the piece.
