The material facts behind pearl jewellery, how freshwater and Akoya pearls differ, what lustre actually means and how to see it, why the knot between each pearl is not decorative but structural. The thinking behind our collections, why VOL.7 began with the baroque pearl, what the Chic Escape edit was built to do, what informed the proportions of the Love Unbound strand. Guides for wearing pieces well, how to layer a strand with a longer chain, how to wear a baroque pendant against a low neckline, what the addition of one stud does to a full ear. Occasional studio notes, a decision reconsidered, a supplier visited, a material tested and rejected. The working life of a house that makes things slowly.