Jewelry

The Pearl Girls of Athens: Pearl shop uses pearls from all over the world to make jewelry - Red and Black

It’s not common to discover a jewelry store that specializes in a certain jewel but The Pearl Girls, located on Hawthorne Avenue, do just that. Owner India Rows concentrates on providing pearls to the locals of Athens, GA.

Though her business has been open since 2006, Rows has always kindled a special love for pearls in her heart.

“I’ve always liked pearls. They’ve always had a sentimental value to me,” said Rows.

Her perspective was altered as she aged and began to witness the comparison of jewelry, especially through marriage. 

“When I got to the age where everybody was getting married, it became a big thing for married and engaged women to compare their diamonds. I’ve always felt that pearls are never a point of comparison,” Rows said. “You’d never say, ‘Oh my gosh, your pearls are bigger than my pearls.’ There is beauty in pearls of all different sizes, shapes and colors.”

One of her favorite aspects of being in the pearl business is that they come out of the oyster and don’t have to be heavily processed to become beautiful jewels; they’re already perfect.

“When they come out of the oyster, they’re whole and complete. If you’ve ever seen a raw diamond, they have to be cut, polished and manipulated to make them look good,” Rows said. “You can even take some pretty low quality rock and make them look really good; a pearl you cannot manipulate or make it prettier.”

Rows also said she appreciates the fact that oysters need “a little bit of irritation” to begin the process of creating such a naturally beautiful gem. For her love of pearls of course, it really comes down to the sentimental value she has for them.

“I had gotten some pearls when I was eight years old from my dad and I loved those pearls so much,” Rows said, though she wasn’t sure she would ever have the opportunity to get another set. “I really thought those would be the only set of pearls I ever had.”

Luckily for Rows, travelling across the world to Asia would change all that.

“Prior to going on a big trip to Asia, I met a woman who said she flies to Beijing every year and selects pearls. [She] brings them back and does a little home show and that’s how she funds her next trip,” Rows said. “I was thinking to myself, ‘I think I want some pearls.’”

Following their conversation, Rows met with the woman’s supplier in Beijing to peruse their selection of pearls. There, she would ultimately decide that dealing with pearls was the business for her. 

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The Pearl Girls is located at 548 Hawthorne Ave. in Athens. 

Madeline Laguaite

“My sister actually owned an art gallery at the time so we sold them through her art gallery as necklaces,” Rows said. “I bought pearls, I sold pearls, I’d get some more… it had a very organic beginning.”

Once the pearl necklaces were displayed and sold, customers started asking Rows if she sold other products like bracelets and earrings. While at the time she did not, the market had spoken and she altered her jewelry selection to reflect that.

“As the years progressed, I went from selling at home shows to selling wholesale and then selling online. It’s just been a constant evolution,” Rows said. 

As her company progressed and matured, Rows followed suit.

“I’ve sort of evolved [as well]. Now, I go directly to pearl farms,” Rows said.

Though she admits to loving to travel, Rows definitely visits the pearl farms to ensure that her product is at the quality it needs to be.

“I just really like to know where our pearls come from and what the conditions are like at the pearl farms,” Rows said.

After handpicking pearls from the specialized farms, Rows brings them back to the United States to be processed and made into jewelry, something that Rows herself doesn’t participate in.

“I actually don’t make any of the jewelry. I have a degree in pearls and pearls are my expertise,” Rows said. “I’m just the ‘pearls person.’”

She then goes on to hand the gems over to her “pearl girls,” the women who knot and create the actual jewelry for consumers to purchase and enjoy.

“I have a group of women who make all of the jewelry. They come in weekly and sometimes work from home [creating products],” Rows said.

As part of The Pearl Girls’ evolution, these specially trained women have allowed Rows’ business to blossom and expand their services.

“Since we have trained pearl knotters and jewelry makers, we also do a lot of re-knots and repairs. People from all over the world [send us jewelry] and we can repair it,” Rows said. “It always amazes me.” 

Although numerous people warned Rows of the danger of specializing so carefully on one item, she said it hasn’t hurt her. In fact, she believes it has only helped her.

“We sell all sorts of jewelry. Bracelets, necklaces, earrings… even some leather and pearls pieces. The repair aspect of the store has also been a lifesaver for some customers,” Rows said. “I’ve had people who have come directly from large jewelry stores who don’t have the skill or knowledge to put pearls back into rings if they’ve fallen out." 

“I’ve had people who have come directly from large jewelry stores who don’t have the skill or knowledge to put pearls back into rings if they’ve fallen out." 

-India Row, owner of The Pearl Girls 

Rows also just recently started offering classes to promote the business, like her event “Learn How To Knot Pearls,” which is happening on Sept. 21. There, Athens locals can learn how exactly to knot pearls to make jewelry with a greater ease.

It’s a very specific, detailed practice and Rows has it all figured out. Her passion fuels the business and her love for pearls is its foundation.

“There’s such a big range [of pearls],” Rows said, “and I find every single one of them beautiful.”