Known for their luxurious and exquisite pearly jewellery, Paspaley Pearls is the business that has run off strong family connections and a history beginning on the island of Kastellorizo.
The business first began on the pearling ships, with Nicholas Paspalis coming to Australia from the Greek island of Kastellorizo in 1919. Upon his arrival to Sydney, Nicholas changed his name to Paspaley and was sent to Darwin to begin a new life.
Whilst in Darwin, Nicholas in his pearling short sleeve white top and white shorts was taught how to look at the harbour and gauge how rough the seas were to determine the success of the shell catch.
Christine Paspaley, the creative director of Paspaley says that pearling was always in her family. Her parents would often come home at the end of the day, and would often speak about the work they would do because of their passion for it.
Currently, all 10 members of the third generation of the family have worked or are working across all facets of the business with the company expanding to farming, wine, aviation, property holdings and owning a hotel in New York.
Chris Paspaley, head of jewellery merchandising has said that like any good Greek family, our identity is intertwined with the memories, the adventures and the pearls themselves.
Source: The Weekend Australian
