Chain Reaction: Shells Reinvented with the Melanie Georgacopoulos Katina Collection

Since focusing her attention on pearls in 2010, Melanie Georgacopoulos has become something of an expert in taking this recognisable material and transforming it into unexpected creations. In the last five years, she’s shifted her focus to shells – the more commonly disregarded ‘homes’ of pearls – and has used them to produce double-take jewels that subvert our perceptions of what this relatively soft substance can achieve. This is perfectly demonstrated in the new Katina collection, which uses carved quahog shell and mother of pearl to recreate the links in a classic metal chain. I spoke to Melanie to discover more about her latest, innovative offering…

In the past, we’ve described Melanie Georgacopoulos as a trailblazer with a sculptural aesthetic and a penchant for the avant-garde. We’ve also acknowledged her mastery of mother of pearl and her ability to breathe life into its lustre without resorting to classic inlay. What really sets her apart, at least in my opinion, are the optical illusion-type ranges that subvert our perceptions. A great example is the Carats collection from 2020, which makes solid mother of pearl look like pillowy soft clouds, rippling with the impact of hippopus pearls.

Although mother of pearl is widely used in watchmaking, it is unfortunately underused in fine jewellery. This is something that I am hoping to change, as mother of pearl is a wonderful material to work with that comes in an incredible range of colours and textures, Melanie Georgacopoulos.

Now, we have a new collection – a deeply personal reinvention of a silver byzantine chain that Melanie inherited from her aunt Katina. This heirloom has a survival story. It was one of the few possessions that Katina managed to escape with during the Burning of Smyrna, a tragedy that took place in what is now İzmir, Turkey, in 1922. Clearly, this chain was treasured enough to be taken on a perilous route to safety, demonstrating that sentimental value isn’t tied to materials but thoughts and emotions instead. Melanie was intrigued by the complexity of the chain style and captivated by its close-to-home history. Guided by a newfound love of shells, she set about reimagining the silver chain in her signature style. “I keep discovering new varieties of pearls and shells, such as quahog, which I stumbled across last year,” Melanie tells me. “The purple colour is just incredible, and I had to find a way to share it and showcase it through my jewellery.”

A quahog is a type of hard-shelled clam native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America. Although unassuming looking on the outside, the interior of quahog shells provide a blend of violet, lavender, grey and white tones that are surprisingly beautiful. This material has both historical and present-day significance to Indigenous communities in North America and has been used to create beads, called wampum, for adornment and trade. Inspired by this context and her aunt’s chain, Melanie has taken quahog shell and forged it into the links of a byzantine chain – a replica of something that would normally be produced in precious metals – accented with onyx and blackened silver. Pearl threading techniques allow for strings of pearls to wrap around, through and amongst the links, creating a more dynamic blend of colour and tones.

“The pieces are surprising and, in some cases, misleading; at first glance, you can’t be sure of the material you’re looking at,” Melanie explains. “The shell gains strength when the links are connected to one another to form the chain, much like individuals and communities coming together amidst conflict or adversity.”

Among the quahog pieces, there are large dark-hued chains with black ruthenium-plated sterling silver and onyx, skinnier chains and chunkier choker styles, bracelets, matching drop earrings and studs that bring a complete quahog parure to life. In this form, the quahog looks tough and edgy despite being a relatively soft material. Melanie says: “This makes it easy to carve, but that means it has to be treated in a way that it does not become brittle. The final piece has to be strong enough to withstand daily wear and tear, which is something that I pay particular attention to.”

The other half of the Katina collection has a more ethereal, bridal flair, with mother of pearl, white freshwater pearls, 9k yellow gold and gold-plated sterling silver across large chains, slimline chains, bracelets and earrings. The iridescence of the white mother of pearl adds extra shine to these pieces… I can imagine them adding a beautiful brightness to the skin when worn. Here, the loops of mother of pearl were crafted by a specific company that Melanie was able to find and instruct based on exacting specifications. She adds: “I was then able to add the beaded wire and pearls by hand to construct the final pieces. Making sure they fit together perfectly is a lengthy process of assembly. Over time, I have realised that I particularly enjoy having certain elements that have been industrially produced, like cast metal, combined with a personal touch, such as pearls threaded by hand. In my opinion, it gives each piece more character and makes it more special.”

After the initial shock of the collection’s fabrication wears off, it’s exciting to think about the possibilities. Imagine that a private client wanted a metre-long chain of quahog links… technically this is achievable thanks to the chain construction. It would require more time to source, cut and assemble, but the option is there for the determined shopper. Finally, to end our conversation, I asked Melanie if she has a favourite Katina creation. “I would probably say the thinnest white mother of pearl and gold chain necklace because it most closely resembles my aunt’s necklace, where the inspiration for this entire collection came from.” If this doesn’t demonstrate the power of jewellery to carry sentiment from one generation to the next, I don’t know what does.