Pearls of wisdom

Even in tough economic times, last year Dubai saw gold and diamond jewellery sales rise by 15% and an amazing 47% respectively. Dubai was not built on gold, or even oil. In fact, it's position as a trading hub and exporter was earned from the more humble pearl, and this year's Dubai International Jewellery Week celebrates the natural resource that gave Dubai its first taste of prosperity. The pearling industry was the main source of income and employment for the people of the Arabian Gulf Coast in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Many of the semi-nomadic inhabitants of the region would fish for pearls in the summer and then tend their date plantations for the rest of the year. The beginning of the end for the region's pearling industry came with the onset of the First World War, however it was the economic depression of the twenties and thirties, along with the Japanese invention of the cultured pearl, which dealt the trade its most devastating blow. Pearling eventually ceased after the Second World War, when the newly independent Government of India imposed heavy taxation on pearls imported from the Gulf. Fortunately for the people of Dubai and the neighbouring states, oil was on the horizon. Today, pearl jewellery has enjoyed something of a resurgence, shedding its old-fashioned image, and is once again at the forefront of current jewellery trends. Pearl jewellery is no longer simply associated with the traditional white pearl necklace. In fact, its popularity now stems from its versatility, with pearls available in a huge variety of colours, shapes and textures, as well as more imaginative uses of pearls in modern jewellery designs. One of the hottest jewellery trends of the moment is to wear several strands of pearls at once. These can be different lengths and designs but for maximum impact should be the same colour. 'Bold' is key, with oversized white, black or coloured pearls a feature in chunky necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings. Colour is big news in the jewellery trade this season and pearls are no exception. Some of the coloured pearls on show at Dubai International Jewellery Week include a new range of chocolate-coloured Tahiti pearl jewellery from Europearls, one of the world's largest pearl companies. The range includes bracelets, necklaces and pendants and combines beautiful chocolate Tahiti pearls with diamonds in striking modern designs. Also exhibiting at the show is the Chinese-based Fine Pearl Jewelry Co. Ltd, which has developed a range of jewellery which mixes pearls of all shapes with diamonds, coloured gems and jade. Dubai International Jewellery Week holds a treasure trove of beautiful jewellery, which is sure to delight pearl-lovers and win over skeptics who thought pearls were only worn by their grandmothers.