- Tamar Collection: Second Light
- Golden Hour Vermeil Oval Pearl Earrings
Golden Hour Vermeil Oval Pearl Earrings
Golden Hour Vermeil Oval Pearl Earrings
These are the Golden Hour Earrings, baroque Akoya pearl drops built to be the mates to my vermeil oval collar necklace. I started with 24k gold vermeil ovals -- one per ear -- and edged each one with tiny sparkling purple Herkimer diamonds, roughly eighty-eight of them in total, set so close together they catch every shift of light. Then I suspended a single baroque Akoya pearl in the center of each oval, so it hangs there like a little moon ringed in violet sparks. That same combination lives in the body of the collar, which is why the two pieces read as one thought when you wear them together.
Baroque pearls carry a naturally irregular shape that polished rounds can't replicate. The irregularity is the beauty -- each pearl catches light at a slightly different angle depending on where it sits, so the earrings never look flat or static. The purple Herkimer diamonds pick up whatever color comes near them, amplifying a deep plum top or a warm evening sky. Worn together with the collar, the set is a full statement. Worn on their own, these earrings hold their own -- a bare neckline lets the vermeil oval float and the pearl do the talking.
I picture wearing them somewhere in between: an afternoon that stretches into dinner, a linen dress or a silk blouse, the light going golden by the time you pour the wine.
These earrings are one of a kind, built once by Andrea Li in her Denver studio and then they are gone. No other pair will carry this exact oval, these exact Herkimer diamonds, this exact pearl. When you find them, you are the only person on earth wearing them.
The purple in these Herkimer diamonds comes from a thin coating on the surface, not from the crystal itself. Coatings can wear with time and friction, so clean them gently with a soft cloth and keep them away from ultrasonic cleaners and harsh chemicals.
How Length is Measured
For Drop and Dangle Earrings: Measure straight down from the top of the hook or post: 2 inches
• Complete the set with the matching Golden Hour collar.
Ships same day (Mon–Wed orders before 4pm MT) FedEx 2-Day | Fully Insured | Signature Required 14-day returns | Full shipping & returns policy →
These are the Golden Hour Earrings, baroque Akoya pearl drops built to be the mates to my vermeil oval collar necklace. I started with 24k gold vermeil ovals -- one per ear -- and edged each one with tiny sparkling purple Herkimer diamonds, roughly eighty-eight of them in total, set so close together they catch every shift of light. Then I suspended a single baroque Akoya pearl in the center of each oval, so it hangs there like a little moon ringed in violet sparks. That same combination lives in the body of the collar, which is why the two pieces read as one thought when you wear them together.
Baroque pearls carry a naturally irregular shape that polished rounds can't replicate. The irregularity is the beauty -- each pearl catches light at a slightly different angle depending on where it sits, so the earrings never look flat or static. The purple Herkimer diamonds pick up whatever color comes near them, amplifying a deep plum top or a warm evening sky. Worn together with the collar, the set is a full statement. Worn on their own, these earrings hold their own -- a bare neckline lets the vermeil oval float and the pearl do the talking.
I picture wearing them somewhere in between: an afternoon that stretches into dinner, a linen dress or a silk blouse, the light going golden by the time you pour the wine.
These earrings are one of a kind, built once by Andrea Li in her Denver studio and then they are gone. No other pair will carry this exact oval, these exact Herkimer diamonds, this exact pearl. When you find them, you are the only person on earth wearing them.
The purple in these Herkimer diamonds comes from a thin coating on the surface, not from the crystal itself. Coatings can wear with time and friction, so clean them gently with a soft cloth and keep them away from ultrasonic cleaners and harsh chemicals.
How Length is Measured
For Drop and Dangle Earrings: Measure straight down from the top of the hook or post: 2 inches
• Complete the set with the matching Golden Hour collar.
Ships same day (Mon–Wed orders before 4pm MT) FedEx 2-Day | Fully Insured | Signature Required 14-day returns | Full shipping & returns policy →
From the bench
One 24k gold vermeil oval per ear, edged with tiny sparkling purple Herkimer diamonds, roughly eighty-eight in total, set close enough together to catch every shift of light.
A single baroque Akoya pearl hangs suspended in the center of each oval, the same gesture that runs the length of the collar, distilled down to one oval per ear.
Worn with the collar the two pieces read as one thought, and worn alone the earrings still hold their own.
Why eighty-eight Herkimer diamonds edge each oval| Golden Hour Earrings | Typical alternative | |
|---|---|---|
| Center stone | Baroque Akoya pearl — a single naturally irregular pearl suspended in the center of each oval | Uniform round pearl or pearl simulant |
| Metal | 24k gold vermeil oval, 14k gold-filled ear wire and findings | Gold-plated base metal |
| Construction | One of a kind, hand-built in Denver; assembled once, never repeated | Mass-produced, repeated style |
| Focal detail | ~88 purple Herkimer diamonds set edge-to-edge around the vermeil oval | Plain bezel or single accent stone |
| Cluster | Herkimer diamonds edge the oval in a continuous ring of violet sparkle | Single stone or empty frame |
| Set partner | Coordinates with the Golden Hour vermeil oval collar necklace as a named set | No matching set designed alongside |
What makes baroque Akoya pearls special?
Baroque Akoya pearls are naturally irregular -- no two are the same shape -- which is the quality that makes them interesting. A polished round pearl reflects light evenly and predictably; a baroque pearl catches it at shifting angles depending on where it sits, so the piece never looks flat. Akoya refers to the oyster species (Pinctada fucata martensii), farmed primarily in Japan, known for a fine, high-lustre nacre. The irregularity in these earrings is not a flaw -- it is the whole point. You can read more in my pearl gemstone guide.
What are purple Herkimer diamonds?
Herkimer diamonds are a variety of double-terminated quartz crystal found in Herkimer County, New York. They grow naturally faceted with pointed ends at both sides, which is unusual for quartz. The purple color in these earrings comes from trace inclusions of anthraxolite, a carbon-based mineral. They are not diamonds in the gem trade sense, but they share the same brilliant clarity and light-handling. You can read more in my Herkimer diamond gemstone guide.
Are these earrings one of a kind?
Yes. I built this pair once in my Denver studio and that is it -- they will not be repeated. The combination of these specific baroque Akoya pearls, these Herkimer diamonds, and these 24k gold vermeil ovals exists exactly once. When you wear them, you are the only person wearing them.
Is there a matching necklace?
Yes. The Golden Hour collar necklace is the coordinating set partner -- it uses the same 24k gold vermeil ovals and the same baroque Akoya pearl and Herkimer diamond details throughout the body, so the two pieces were designed to be worn together as one look.
