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Choosing the perfect pair of pearl earrings to match your pearl necklace is a balancing act of your own personal style, the event you’ll be wearing your pearls to, and the pearls you have to work with. Traditionally, you’d want an almost perfect match for pearl type, color, shape, size and luster levels … these two or three-piece suites blend together harmoniously without competing for attention or becoming distracting.
But what if you don’t have a perfectly matched set? What to do?
In this post, we’ll explore the Do’s and Don’ts of matching pearl earrings to a pearl necklace, and how you can still pull off a beautifully paired suite of pearl jewelry – even if they’re not a perfect match.
Ideally, matching a pearl necklace and a pair of earrings should start with making sure the pearls are of the same pearl type; so Akoya earrings paired with an Akoya pearl necklace, Tahitian earrings matched with a Tahitian necklace and so on. This is the easiest way to ensure that the pearls have the same or very similar colors and overtones.
Matching the shape of the pearls in your strand to your earrings – round or baroque – is also ideal for a cohesive look, then try to get as close as possible for size and luster levels.
When we match pearls here in our workshop, we try to use the pearls in the center section of the pearl necklace as a size guide and match the earrings within 0.3mm – so it’s a very close match when we build full pearl jewelry sets. On your own however, getting within a millimeter or two using pearls from your jewelry box will work almost as well because of the distance between the earrings and your necklace balancing things out. If possible, we recommend going no further than 1-2mm up or down in either direction for the most united look.
The key to matching a pair of pearl earrings with a pearl necklace is create balance and harmony between the two pieces. The best pearl earrings to wear with a pearl necklace will complement the pearls of your strand, not overpower or outshine them.
Pearl stud earrings are most often chosen because they are the most traditional and classic pairing, creating a clean and coordinated look, perfect for daily wear and special occasions alike.
Wearing a pair of pearl and diamond earrings is an excellent way to add a subtle touch of glamour to your pearl necklace. You can also opt for a pair of smooth teardrop shaped pearl dangle earrings with a pearl necklace which is also an artistic way to add a touch of romance to your look.
Shorter pearl necklaces like the choker and princess length are best paired with pearl stud earrings or short dangles, while longer strands like the opera or a pearl rope can support more dramatic earring designs and larger pearls.
Not necessarily. Pairing pearl earrings with a pearl necklace doesn’t have to be an exact match, especially these days. While an exact match creates a clean, coordinated look that is desirable for special events or other formal occasions, with modern style we have a bit more flexibility in how we can wear our pearls.
Mixing pearl studs with a drop-shaped baroque pearl necklace, or pairing drop-shaped dangle earrings with a round strand can create a unique and sleek look that can be striking to see.
At the end of the day, no matter which earrings you choose to pair with your pearl necklace, the completed look should feel intentional and polished.
It’s not strictly necessary to wear pearl earrings to match a pearl necklace, especially during our modern era. While this pairing is a more coordinated and classic look, you can still show off a refined, polished style going with a different type of earring instead.
My favorites are a pair of slim, dainty gold hoop earrings, which will subtly complement the glow of your pearl necklace without being overpowering. Similarly, diamond stud earrings add a lively touch of sparkle and glamour to your look – perfect for heightening the drama of your jewelry while still be an elegant pairing. Small dainty dangle earrings are also a fun choice to add subtle movement and sway without drawing too much attention away from your pearls.
Any of these options should retain and highlight the lustrous glow of your pearl necklace … again the key to successfully mixing and matching your pearls with other elements is harmony and balance in terms of overall look, structure and refinement.
At Pure, when we create a 2 or 3-piece pearl jewelry set, we match the pearl earring’s body color and overtones exactly to the necklace - this maintains a cohesive and coordinated look that most people are looking for when they want to pair their earrings and necklaces.
If you’re trying to coordinate pearls that have been purchased separately, then you might notice some differences in overtones – this should be fine as long as it’s not a strong contrast and the body colors are the same (white for white, black for black, etc.). Keep in mind that there’s going to be distance separating the earrings from the necklace, which should help blur any overtone differences and make them less noticeable.
Yes, you should definitely try to match the luster in your pearl necklace and earrings in order to make the set look as intentionally matched as possible. Luster is by far the most important value factor for pearls, making or breaking them as a precious gemstone. If your pearl earrings look dull or chalky paired with a lustrous pearl necklace or vice-versa, then the difference will be immediately noticeable.
Surface quality should also be very similar; you don’t want to pair a heavily blemished pearl earrings with an eye-clean pearl necklace … the visual effect can be jarring and easily noticeable. While exact perfection isn’t necessary, maintaining similar levels of luster and surface quality can help you pull off a matching look as the pearls won’t appear uneven or unbalanced.
Yes, you can absolutely mix pearl shapes. A pair of round Tahitian pearl stud earrings with a baroque Tahitian pearl necklace can work beautifully together as long as the body color, overtones and luster levels are similar so that your set looks and feels intentional. Round pearls provide symmetry and elegance, while baroque pearls showcase unique shapes and a modern take on what a classic pearl necklace can look like today. Together, the contrast between shapes can look chic, contemporary and stylish.
There are a couple of ways to do this. If you are working with a non-graduated “uniform” pearl necklace where the pearls are measured in half-millimeter increments (so 7.0-7.5mm, etc.), then we generally recommend matching the earrings to the center section of the necklace, and stay within 1-2mm (in either direction, up or down) of the necklace to maintain a balanced look. You don’t want the earrings to either overpower the necklace, or appear too small to actually work as a set.
For graduated strands where the pearls will run from 6.0-9.5mm or so, we recommend matching your pearl earrings to the moderately sized pearls on the sides of the strand, which will be the strand’s average size. This ensures that your earrings again aren’t too large and overpowering or too small to work as a set and maintains a balanced look.
Pearl stud earrings are going to be the most traditional option to match with a pearl necklace – round pearl studs will help create a clean, timelessly elegant look, from classic white Akoya pearl necklaces to luxurious South Sea pearls. Round pearl stud earrings help keep the focus on the pearl necklace and reinforces the symmetry of the set and its refinement. For formal occasions like weddings, bridal looks, galas and corporate events, the round pearl studs are the most sophisticated choice.
Pearl dangle earrings will add an element of modern style and romance to your necklace and earring set. Dangle earrings shouldn’t overpower the necklace, so keep them moderately sized for a single strand, or larger drops can be paired with a larger South Sea strand or a double or triple strand pearl necklace in order to balance the extra volume of the strands against the movement of the dangle. Pearl studs should be chosen for a more formal look; choose pearl dangles if you want additional movement or romance.
About the Author
Ashley McNamara, of PurePearls.com, is a GIA-certified expert in Pearls, Diamonds, and Colored Stones and widely recognized as “the expert’s expert” in the pearl industry. With over 20 years of experience, she contributed to the CPAA’s Pearls As One educational course and has been cited by major news outlets nationwide. Ashley's keen eye for color and luster make her a trusted source for classic and exotic pearls alike. Explore her bestselling collections here.
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