if it's not baroque, don't fix it

Last year when I went to the Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden, which is full of riches beyond imagination, there were dozens upon dozens of little figurines made out of baroque pearls set into metal to create different creatures.

Baroque pearls are the shit. When I went through my prep phase (everyone else went goth or punk, I went through a rebellious phase of cableknit and pleated skirts), I accumulated the requisite strand of pearls and a set of earrings. I don't wear them anymore because they add an instant prissyness to anything you wear - well that is except for whenever I have a job, I wear them to distract from the fact that I'm wearing entirely work-inappropriate outfits. Flawless round pearls are so boring in their perfection - the lumpy irregularities of baroque pearls makes them much more interesting.

Lydia Courteille Baroque Pearl and Diamond Ring

I have yet to find any baroque pearl jewelry that I'm particularly wowed by - the Lydia Courteille ring is pretty cool but would probably make me look like a madam from 17th century France. Really, all I want is a single wonky pearl to put on a chain and wear along with my wisdom tooth.

This is a cool ... setting? I'm not even sure what to call it. Like I said, I'm not too hot on these other pieces, but I just wanted to post some differently shaped examples of pearls.