Christmas is the season for pearls that do more than one thing. Our favourite gifts for 2026 are a mix of pieces our designer wears all the time and pieces she would love to own. Below, Chrissie Douglas shares her picks and explains what makes each one special.
A Tahitian pair that does it all
Almost everything on the list has one thing in common. “You’ll probably notice that most of my focus is on versatility,” says Chrissie. “I really love the idea of a design that can make many more looks than just one.”
The best example is a set she’s built for herself. “I have a couple of Tahitian pearl necklaces in different lengths, and I put them together with the same clasp,” she says. “They can be a rope, a double strand or two single strands at different lengths, and they can be doubled up as a bracelet. I wear them all the time.”
Copper, worn your way
For a change of colour, Chrissie turns to the copper freshwater single lariat, finished with smoky quartz. “I love copper,” she says. “It has this beautiful lacquer look, specially dyed to my specification.”
A lariat is a long, open rope that ties a little like a man’s tie, and that openness is what makes it so adaptable. “You can wear it as a necklace, as a long, open necklace also known as a lariat or as a belt,” says Chrissie. “It can do whatever you want.”
Related:Copper Pearls are Back, and They’re Made for Autumn
Earrings with two personalities
With the lariat, she wears the Warrior earrings, which combine leather and pearls. “What’s really fabulous about them is that they have a stud, so you can wear just the stud and look terribly formal,” says Chrissie. “Then you add the leather and pearl attachment, and they look ready to go out and have fun.”
The Happy Cascade
The Happy Cascade necklace sets white freshwater pearls among tourmalines. “It’s called Happy because the tourmalines are such lovely, vibrant, varied colours, and they are all naturally formed,” says Chrissie. “It’s great fun to wear.”
It also suits the way she likes to wear a necklace. “I like necklaces that are either like a pendant or have a drop at the front,” she says.
Huggies with a hidden side
Chrissie’s South Sea pearl huggies are small hoops that sit snugly around the base of the ear, so they work on their own, but ours have a trick up their sleeve. “They have diamonds on one side and are plain on the other,” says Chrissie. “If you’re travelling and don’t want to show your diamonds, you turn them to the plain side and people think it’s just a metal hoop. If you want to ramp it up a bit, you show the diamonds.”
Add the optional South Sea pearl drops and they become extra beautiful. The drops come in different colours, and you can wear two or three together to create very different looks.
A 30-year favourite
One piece on the list has been with Chrissie for well over 30 years. Her Happy necklace has a South Sea pearl drop which hangs from a strand of multicoloured tourmalines. “It’s called Happy because it makes you happy just to see it,” she says. “Pendants are always really helpful because they’re quite pared down. They create a presence without being heavy.”
A pendant with a secret
Another pendant she wears a lot is the black Tahitian pearl Hug pendant, which has an 18-carat gold band wrapped around the pearl like an embrace. “At the end of the embrace there’s a diamond that really only the wearer knows is there,” says Chrissie. “It is a very subtle piece.”
On Chrissie’s wish list
One piece isn’t in Chrissie’s collection yet, though she’d love it to be: a rare natural pearl necklace on a chain. “It’s very understated,” she says. “You wouldn’t know you were wearing a really beautiful piece of jewellery unless you knew they were natural pearls. It’s something you can wear for yourself and enjoy.”
The gift of a perfect match
For anyone who isn’t sure what to choose, Chrissie has a simple solution. “A fabulous idea, and one I often give, is a pearl consultation,” she says. “It’s a £200 gift, and the recipient gets to choose something matched to her skin tone and her look, with the £200 going towards whatever she chooses. She gets to meet the designers, and they help her see why certain colours and overtones would suit her better than others. It’s an experience as well as a gift, and it makes you feel very special.”
If this sounds like the perfect Christmas gift for your loved one, book your consultation today.
