In partnership with Paspaley
There's no feeling quite like being by the ocean in the middle of a Sydney winter. It's a shared Australian experience – the salty aroma travels from within the foamy whitewash, wrapping you in its freshness before the mid-morning sunlight hits at just the right time to offer some reprieve. It's an almost bewitching beauty that is hard to describe; but on the foreshore of one of Sydney's most iconic homes, RUSSH and Paspaley – the last of the original Australian pearling families – came together to host an intimate morning that honoured legacy, craftsmanship and the undeniable lustre and rarity of the Australian South Sea Pearl.
On Thursday morning, an intimate group of RUSSH Purists and creative minds we admire were hosted by RUSSH editor-in-chief, Jess Blanch and Paspaley creative director Christine Salter at a private salmon pink boathouse in Vaucluse. Guests, who included RUSSH digital cover star, Mel Jarnson, artist Shal, sustainably minded designers Beare Park’s Gabriella Pereira and Esse Studios Charlotte Hicks, model Bella Thomas and digital creative Mikka Byarugaba as well as Paspaley Senior Jewellery Designers Joao Vaz and Catherine Büman, had the rare opportunity to explore the jeweller's instantly recognisable pearls – becoming acquainted with their unique shapes, textures and of course, sizes.
It was one of very few rare occasions that the Paspaley family collection – a chest that guards 60 of the family's favourite pearls of all time – had been shared outside of the vault and even those who know this collection intimately were amazed to see them together in the morning light. As the comforting smell of the budding outdoor wood fire warmed the air, the crisp sound of Keshi pearls could be heard over the fire's crackling, as guests ran their hands through the depths of the famous 'pearl box'. Rainbow lorikeets soon joined the party, listening in as they perched themselves along the white balustrade. The family-style brunch menu curated by chef and food stylist, Sian Redgrave mirrored Paspaley’s commitment to sustainability and included a ‘from the ocean’ selection of oysters in olive oil and samphire, cured trout and witlof, whipped taramasalata and salmon roe and goats cheese and fresh honeycomb served on Paspaley’s Mother-of-Pearl shell dishes.
Coinciding with Pearl Awareness Month which is honoured in the month of June, Salter shared insight into the incredible history of the Australian luxury brand, a legacy that began with her grandfather in the late 1920s, and today sees Paspaley nuture its pearls across a remote network of farms along the north-west coast of Australia. RUSSH Purists were introduced to the Pinctada maxima – the largest and rarest of all pearl oysters, and the species of choice for Paspaley – the jeweller's continued commitment to diving and hand collecting the wild pearl oysters, and the secret trick to spotting a Paspaley strand instantly... an insider intel that we'll be saving for later.
With the joyful glistening of the harbour in the background, the celebrations could have carried on all afternoon, as guests exchanged stories of their personal connections to pearls in-between mouthfuls of Redgrave's signature lemon meringue cake. We share a glimpse of the special moment, below.
