How We Select Our Pearls: Behind the Scenes at LILY & ROO
Pearls have been part of the LILY & ROO story from the very beginning.
Timeless without feeling traditional, delicate enough for every day and special enough for life's biggest moments, they're a material we return to season after season.
But no two pearls are exactly the same.
From lustre and shape to subtle differences in colour and texture, every freshwater pearl has its own individual character. That's why our pearls are hand-selected by our team before being made into LILY & ROO jewellery.
Here's a little look behind the brand at how we choose our pearls, what we look for and how they become the finished pieces you know and love.
WHERE THE LILY & ROO STORY BEGAN
LILY & ROO was founded by Brittany, following more than a decade working within the jewellery industry.
While searching for jewellery to wear for her own wedding, Brittany struggled to find pieces that felt timeless and understated, jewellery that complemented her dress without overpowering it and, importantly, that she'd still want to wear long after the wedding day.
So, she decided to create it herself.
That idea is still at the heart of LILY & ROO today: beautiful, timeless jewellery designed for life's biggest moments, but made to be worn for all the moments that come after them too.
Pearls naturally became an important part of that story. They're synonymous with bridal style, but their simplicity makes them just as beautiful with everyday jewellery.
WHY WE CHOOSE FRESHWATER PEARLS
Across our collections, we use genuine freshwater pearls, chosen for their natural beauty and individuality.
Unlike synthetic or imitation pearls, freshwater pearls are formed within freshwater molluscs. As a natural material, each one develops slightly differently, creating variations in shape, size, colour and surface.
And that's something we love.
Rather than expecting every pearl to look completely identical, we celebrate the characteristics that make each one unique.
It's why your LILY & ROO pearl jewellery might look ever so slightly different from another piece, and why we think that's part of what makes it special.
HOW WE HAND SELECT OUR PEARLS
Before becoming part of a LILY & ROO design, our pearls are hand-selected by our team.
Rather than simply choosing pearls based on size, we look at how all of their characteristics work together and how they'll look within the finished piece.
Professional pearl quality is assessed using seven main factors: size, shape, colour, lustre, surface, nacre and matching.
For us, some of the most important details include:
Lustre
That beautiful glow you associate with pearls is known as their lustre.
We look for pearls that reflect the light beautifully and have the soft luminosity that makes pearl jewellery so distinctive.
Shape
A beautiful pearl doesn't have to be perfectly round.
Freshwater pearls naturally form in a variety of shapes, from classic rounded pearls to drops and wonderfully irregular baroque pearls.
The shape we choose depends entirely on the design. For some pieces, we want something delicate and uniform; for others, the irregularity of a pearl is exactly what makes it special.
Colour & Surface
Look closely at a natural pearl, and you'll notice subtle differences in tone and texture.
We hand-select pearls with beautiful natural colour while embracing the small markings and variations that come from working with a naturally formed material.
Matching
When we're making jewellery that features several pearls, we also consider how they look alongside one another.
Our makers look at the size, shape, colour and lustre of each pearl, carefully selecting combinations that create a beautifully balanced finished piece.
They're not necessarily perfectly identical, nor do we want them to be, but they should complement one another.
It's a small detail that makes a big difference.
THE DIFFERENT PEARLS YOU'LL FIND AT LILY & ROO
One of the reasons we love designing freshwater pearl jewellery is the variety.
Across LILY & ROO, you'll find pearls in different shapes and sizes, each bringing something different to a design.
Classic Pearls
Simple, timeless and endlessly wearable.
Our classic pearl styles bring that traditional elegance of pearls into more contemporary designs, from pearl drop earrings and bracelets to delicate pearl necklaces and chokers.
They're particularly loved by our brides because they'll never feel overly trend-led – but they're just as easy to wear with your everyday wardrobe after the wedding.
Baroque Pearls
Perfectly imperfect.
Baroque pearls are naturally irregular in shape, which means each one is completely individual.
When creating our baroque pearl jewellery, we hand-select pearls for their shape, texture and character. We aren't looking for identical pearls – we're looking for individual pearls that complement one another and create a beautiful finished piece.
It's this organic shape that gives baroque pearl jewellery its more modern, effortless feel.
Seed Pearls
Our smaller seed pearls create a much more delicate look.
They're perfect when we want to introduce the texture and softness of pearls without making them the main focus of a piece.
You'll often find them in delicate necklaces and bracelets that are easy to layer with your existing jewellery.
Pearl Drops
Pearl drops are a LILY & ROO favourite, particularly throughout our bridal collection.
There's something about the natural movement of a drop pearl that feels effortlessly elegant. But we don't think they should be reserved for your wedding day.
The same pearl earrings worn down the aisle can be worn again for dinner, on holiday or simply with your favourite knit and jeans.
HANDMADE BY OUR TEAM
Once we've selected the right pearls, the next part of their journey happens with our makers.
Our pearl jewellery is handmade by our small, all-female team in our studio just outside London, with care taken over every detail of the finished piece.
Because we're working with a natural material, making our pearl jewellery by hand allows our team to consider each individual pearl as they work.
From selecting pearls that sit beautifully alongside one another to checking their placement and finishing the jewellery, there's a human touch at every stage.
It means the pearl jewellery you receive hasn't simply come from a production line.
The pearls have been hand-selected, the piece has been handmade, and the finished jewellery has been carefully checked by our team before it reaches you.
It's something we're incredibly proud of.
OUR APPROACH TO MORE CONSIDERED JEWELLERY
How our jewellery is made matters to us.
Our genuine freshwater pearls are selected for their natural beauty and lighter footprint, and across our wider collections, we work with ethical and sustainable suppliers and use recycled precious metals where possible.
Our packaging is also 100% eco-friendly, and we continue to look for ways to make the way we create and deliver our jewellery more considered.
For us, that also means designing pieces that aren't intended for one moment or one season.
We want your jewellery to become part of your collection for years to come.
WHY WE'LL ALWAYS LOVE PEARLS
Perhaps the thing we love most about pearls is that they don't need to be perfect to be beautiful.
Their tiny differences in shape, texture and tone are exactly what give them their character.
From hand-selecting the pearls to handmaking the finished piece, it's those little details that make LILY & ROO pearl jewellery special.
And years after Brittany first went searching for the perfect jewellery for her own wedding, pearls still represent so much of what LILY & ROO is about.
Timeless jewellery, thoughtfully made and designed to be loved long after the occasion you bought it for.
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