FRED SCARF’S PEARLS HONOR TAHITI’S LEGACY
By: Erica Commisso
When people think of pearls, they think of the ocean. The two are almost inextricably linked, which made jewelry designer Fred Scarf think. Why not use unique pearls in ocean conservancy?
He launched his eponymous jewelry brand in Los Angeles with ocean conservancy in mind, using elegant Tahitian black pearls as the focal point for all of the pieces. And for Scarf, using the gem is a deliberate choice, one that feels perfect for what the brand is trying to convey. “It represents beauty, strength, and something rare, like finding treasure in the ocean,” he says. “Each pearl is unique, just like every person who wears it. It also reminds us that something beautiful can come from time, patience, and nature.”
Photo of Fred Scarf
Part of creating timeless, elegant pieces, Scarf says, is paying respect to the brand’s mission, paying respect to the ocean’s inspiration and serenity. “The brand started with a love for the ocean and its natural beauty. We wanted to create jewelry that feels special, meaningful, and connected to nature. It grew from a simple idea into something we’re proud to share with others,” he says. “We find inspiration in the ocean, nature, and simple, beautiful things around us. The shapes, colors, and movement of water influence our designs. We like to keep everything clean, timeless, and easy to wear.”
Supporting clean oceans, for Fred Scarf Jewelry, means partnering with people who take care of nature while growing pearls and by selecting partners who respect the environment around the pearls and actively choose to protect marine life. The goal, the brand’s founder says, is to create beauty in jewelry without destroying the beauty of the environment.
Credit: Fred Scarf
Scarf’s desire to give back was born years ago, when he began organizing proms for people with cancer. It was then that he realized that celebrating moments and marking them in a special way was something he wanted to lean into.
The black Tahitian pearl, in particular, is a large, exotic, cultured gem exclusively found in the lagoons of French Polynesia, and it ranges in natural hue from charcoal grey to peacock green. It’s widely considered an ecologically responsible luxury gem, and Scarf leaned into that knowledge by ensuring that all of his partners use sustainable practices, too.
Going even further, Fred Scarf is related to Albert Scarf, the Yale professor who developed the influential Scarf Algorithm that helped solve complex economic systems, and Fred is using the connection to explore how it can impact complex ecological problems in Tahiti, where the pearls are farmed. Tahiti is facing major challenges as a result of global warming, and Fred Scarf is pushing for the integration of AI to solve issues that face ocean ecology and speed up the documentation of issues so that they can be fixed faster. Tahiti is a big part of the brand–obviously, the pearls are sourced from the island nation–and Fred Scarf is pushing for the idea that AI can counteract the destruction to Tahiti’s ecosystem caused by global warming.
Time, of course, is still honoured in Fred Scarf’s production, as the brand works with farmers in the Gambier and Tuamotu Islands to cultivate pears that takes months, if not years, to grow. The lagoons in these Tahitian islands are calm, warm, clean, and full of food, making them the perfect ecosystem for pearls to grow in unique colours, something that appeals to scarf. And he uses it as a model for his own brand–it’s a lesson in patience, but the result is beautiful. “We hope to grow by reaching more people around the world. We want to keep creating beautiful pieces that people truly love and connect with,” he says. “At the same time, we want to stay true to our values and quality.” Essentially, he wants to keep shining in a unique way.