Pearl Promenade

Pearl

Promenade

If you’ve developed a passion for WA pearls, Subiaco’s Rokeby Road should be your first port of call – you’re guaranteed to find a unique piece of jewellery which will repay your investment in this uniquely beautiful gem for years to come.

WORDS | Gail Williams

LINNEYS

37 Rokeby Road, Subiaco Tel: 08 9382 4077

Let’s start with a cliché. Justin Linney was not even a twinkle in his goldsmith father’s eye back in 1972 when Alan B. Linney was magically turning beautiful Broome pearls into stunning rings and bracelets in his London Court store.

And Justin still wasn’t even born in 1983 when Alan relocated to the bottom end of Rokeby Road leading an influx – over the next four decades – of high-end jewellers which contribute to the shimmering pearlladen strip it is today.

Kalgoorlie may have its Golden Mile but Subiaco’s Rokeby Road could be known as Pearl Promenade – thanks to the upmarket names dotted along it – from Linneys to Allure, Ecali, Smales and Thomas Meihofer.

So get ready to clutch your pearls in delight as Justin, the youngest of five children who is now running the store, says the natural gems are enjoying an enduring moment in the fashion spotlight. He says recent years have seen a whole new generation of young women embrace their inner Coco Chanel and don ropes of lustrous pearl strands, earrings and – the hottest number – pendants on fine chains. Men are keen to join the pearl party too with black Tahitian pearl neoprene bangles and chokers.

Linneys is now a household name, synonymous with exquisite custom-made, handcrafted jewellery, designed and made right here in Subiaco with a profile that spreads around the globe. Come November, the family business celebrates its 50th year with an Art Series collection of 50 pieces, retro and

current. And it’s Justin Linney who is steering the jubilee as his revered father steps back from the limelight – with wife Michelle – to enjoy caravan holidays, landscaping the garden and hanging out with their eight grandchildren.

Justin’s brother, Troy, and uncle Greg are also heavily involved in the business but Justin, as the creative director, shoulders the responsibility of maintaining the quality of a brand that has been highly respected for half a century and is proudly worn by celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Melissa George, Ernie Dingo, Sara Ramen, and other devotees who fly to Perth especially to shop for unique Western Australian pieces crafted from Argyle diamonds, Australian South Sea pearls and Kalgoorlie gold.

Having grown up surrounded by such glittering treasures, it’s a mantle Justin wears with consummate ease. He shares an unadulterated passion for the cherished Linney brand and has a huge respect for the products he has laboured with for 15 years at his Subiaco design bench using skills passed on by his dad. He says he is privileged to do what he does and is enormously proud of the contribution their store has made to the foot traffic of Subiaco.

“We are into our third generation of clients now,” he says. “We love to see grandmothers coming in with their granddaughters. It’s all about creating family heirlooms, tangible gifts to pass down to the next generation. Often, in these digital days, people pass down things like stocks and shares which are nontangible. A piece of handcrafted jewellery has emotion and intimacy built into it. It’s about the value of the pearl, which has been growing for two years, the lustre, the beauty and seeing it set in precious metal. It’s been worn by someone who has treasured it. It’s a bit like going on a journey as it’s passed from family member to the next.”

Credentials? Justin has them all – he studied jewellery design and then gemology at the Gemological Institute of America and heads up a team of 40 staff across three showrooms. But when talking about his design work – less frequently now due to taking on extra admin roles – it is an innate creative ability, and his artistic eye which comes to the fore.

Especially when talking about pearls. Ask him if he is a diamond or a pearl man and he laughs saying it’s a bit like asking you to choose between children.

“I definitely have a passion for pearls,” he says. “Pearls are the hero of a piece of jewellery, the focal point. With gems and diamonds, they work together beautifully as a team.

“Pearls do embody quite a lot of emotion and intrigue, and sometimes it’s about educating people on why they’re rare, why they are special, how they are grown. Once we take the time to explain about the shape and the character and the lustre people do get it. With the pearl it’s the lustre. Some have more lustre than others. That’s to do with the oyster itself. A big, strong, healthy oyster produces a big strong pearl. The trick is to get them to grow evenly. The rounder the pearl, the higher the value, though some people prefer the unique shapes.

A diamond is mined and has to go through a cutting and polishing process. With a pearl, there is no process; how it looks when it comes out of the oyster is how it will look in the jewellery. I think that is really interesting.”

Another cliché? Perhaps pearls are a girl’s best friend after all.

And Alan has not retired completely. He still pops back into his design bench and to deal with regular clients a couple of times a week.

FAMILY DYNASTY Justin Linney is carrying on the family tradition at Linneys, and heads up a team of 40 staff across three showrooms.

ALLURE

316 Rokeby Road, Subiaco Phone: 9388 3131

Anyone who has had a dalliance with the pearling industry in Broome will know the name Bill Reed. The highly respected marine biologist and pearl farmer is a well-known advocate for the Australian and Tahitian pearling industries. Subiaco can consider itself lucky to have him take up premises in the ‘burb with fellow founder of Allure, Lindsay Youd, a second-generation jeweller who has been devoted to the industry for three decades.

The exquisite pieces in their collection begin with rare South Sea pearls which are selected for lustre, complexion, shape, size and colour. The natural colours range from white and cream – with silver and pink tones – to black and gold.

“Allure is renowned for our quality of pearls. It’s something Bill and I are dedicated to, and our designs aim to bring out the singular beauty of each pearl to capture its story and mystery. White Australian South Sea Pearls are always popular for their timeless and classic appeal. That said, many clients are drawn to the opulence of gold pearls, principally farmed in the Philippines, and the rich range of colours found in Tahitian black pearls,” says Lindsay Youd.

The Allure South Sea Pearls collection ranges from essential pearl styles suited for everyday wear, to spectacular high jewellery pieces designed to make a statement.

“Allure’s pearl strands have always been adored by our clients. As a style that’s been made famous by the likes of Carrie Bradshaw, clients are looking to invest in a classic strand that can be passed down through generations. We have also noted more enquiries for statement pearl and coloured stone cocktail rings, with clients seeking special designs that differ from their engagement and wedding bands.”

Allure’s experienced team offer unrivalled pearl knowledge, as well as exceptional service, to guide clients through selecting a piece to reflect their unique taste and style.

History of pearling in Western Australia Swashbuckling, blood, horrific working conditions, romance, danger and incredible wealth all play a part in the rich history of WA’s pearling industry which dates back to long before any of us Subi-ites had dreamt of owning a pair of pearl earrings.

Well before 1699 when William Dampier showed up in the Roebuck, Aboriginal groups had recognised the beauty of pearl shell which they had harvested and carved valuing it for its association with water, rain and life.

But after sinking his ship Dampier recorded finding pearl beds around the coast of Shark Bay and by the time someone noticed what he’d written it was over a century later. By then, mother of pearl was in huge demand for the manufacture of buttons, cutlery and inlaid furniture.

So began a huge industry with the harvesting of pearls beginning in 1854 around Shark and Nichol Bays and then moving onto Roebuck Bay in Broome. By 1910 Broome was the biggest pearling centre in the world with the Japanese and Chinese getting in on much of the action.

With the invention of plastic buttons, the pearl shell industry fell into a decline in the 1950s but a new industry of cultured pearl farms was forged with the first pearl farm in the Kimberley established at Kuri Bay, in Camden Sound, 370km north of Broome, in 1956.

Broome continues to be a world leader in the production of South Sea pearls.

NATURAL ALLURE The Allure South Sea Pearls colllection comprises of some truly spectacular statement pieces.

SUBI’S OTHER PEARLY KINGS

Willie Creek Pearls 2/464 Hay St, Subiaco | Phone: 9241 6541

If it’s good enough for Olivia Newton John to be seen wearing a jaw-dropping 18 karat gold Australian South Sea Pearl Pendant in the window of this landmark store, it’s good enough for us.

What’s more the famous Dame – she really is one – who was responsible for a whole wave of tight black leather pants in the 80s designed the four pieces herself. Prices range from $1,890 to $2,290 and proceeds go directly to The Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund for cancer research funding into plant-based medicine.

Magic. Now that is the word!

Atlas Pearls 26 Railway Rd, Subiaco | Phone: 9284 4249

Think of palm-fringed beaches in the Indonesian archipelago and you have an idea of the incredible journey from hatchery to harvest that goes into beaded loop pendant earrings and classic rings on sale here.

The journey takes four years with more than 3,000 hands involved in the eco-pearling process. And when it comes to giving back to the remote communities involved, the company is committed to sustainable and ethical practices helping with education scholarships and employment and training.

There is no retail store and shopping is online. It’s worth a look.

Fun facts:

Pearls were worn in ancient Greece, symbolising the moon, chastity, status and modesty

They were used as mourning jewellery in Victorian England symbolising tears.

In modern times pearls symbolise love and desire, good luck and prosperity.

To care for pearls, think of your teeth. Anything that is bad for your teeth is bad for your pearls, including anything acidic or wear and tear. For pearls to maintain their lustre keep them away from hairspray and perfume.

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