What you’ll learn in this episode:   How Melanie discovered that classic pearls could be seen in a new light. Why younger people, especially men, are embracing pearl jewelry in a new way.  How Melanie’s collaboration with Tasaki broke barriers for Japanese customers.  The difference between types of pearls, and what it’s like to work with them.  How launching her brand right after art school gave Melanie a crash course in the jewelry business.    About Melanie Georgacopoulos   With a background in sculpture, jewellery designer Melanie Georgacopoulos works with materials in new ways to release their potential and stimulate new interpretations. She began her exploration of the pearl during her Master’s degree at the RCA in 2007, after which she worked as a freelance designer under Antoine Sandoz for major international brands, before establishing her eponymous label in 2010.   In Melanie’s work the paradoxical, intriguing nature of pearls and mother of pearl is at the core of every piece, whilst the aesthetic remains simple, structured and timeless. She continually strives to challenge the existing preconceptions of these organic materials and that of traditional jewellery design itself. It is this unique approach which has given her the opportunity to showcase her pieces regularly at fairs, exhibitions and galleries worldwide.   Melanie became well known internationally for her work with pearls, leading to her collaboration with TASAKI, which began in 2013. Directional line M/G TASAKI was born, marring Melanie’s flair to cross design boundaries with the Japanese jewellery company’s world renowned craftsmanship. Following the huge success of the seasonal collections Melanie was appointed Head Designer for M/G TASAKI in 2015. She has been a visiting lecturer at Central Saint Martins for the last four years whilst she continues to create her own collections and one-off pieces for special projects.   Additional Resources: Website Instagram Photos available on TheJewelryJourney.com Transcript: Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is the second part of a two-part episode. If you haven’t heard part one, please head to TheJewelryJourney.com.    Today, we’re talking with Melanie Georgacopoulos. Melanie occupies some unusual niches. She’s a specialist in designing with pearls, which is very unusual. For those of you who are listening who think that pearls are too old-fashioned or too formal, she has really changed the way pearls are viewed. She lives in Hamburg but has her office in London. She’s also the Chief Designer for a collaboration with a Japanese company, Tasaki. Welcome back.    Do you work with pearls in all colors?   Melanie: Absolutely. This journey over the last few years has also been a journey for myself. I also started with this idea that there are only white, round pearls out there, and that’s not true. There are Tahitian pearls, South Sea pearls, Akoya pearls. There’s a whole world of natural pearls. There are different shapes, different sizes. Some are extremely rare, like conch pearls or melo pearls. Some are very common, like freshwater pearls.    During this journey of discovery for myself, I’ve tried to launch some collections which focus on a certain kind of pearl to highlight it. For one of the collections I did, the Nacre Collection, I paired a pink pearl with a pink mother of pearl in way that’s like the return of the pearl to its oyster, or a golden South Sea to the golden sea mother of pearl shell. Sometimes I’m sent messages through Instagram by suppliers or pearl farmers who say, “Hey, have you seen this? Do you want to work with what I make?” I’m like “Wow! This is new to me.” I’ve been working with pearls for 10 years and it keeps on giving. I find that fantastic.   Sharon: Do you have a favorite pearl? Do you think one is better than another? Is a South Sea pearl better or easier to work with than an Akoya?    Melanie: I don’t think there’s a better one. In terms of va