Pearls are beautiful gems that can only be harvested inside clams. Pearls were hard to come by but since technology started, pearl farmers could easily create pearls without harvesting clams. But, what should we call a group of pearls? Let’s find out below!
Collective Nouns for Pearls
Cluster
(Meaning) A cluster means a group of things that stand together. Since pearls are harvested, put together in a group, and made into jewelry that requires many pieces of pearls, then they can be collectively called a cluster.
Example 1: I went to the market and an old lady offered me a cluster of pearls in exchange for some money.
Example 2: Could you get the cluster of pearls on the table? I will use those for my arts and crafts project.
Handful
(Meaning) Pearl farmers usually have tons of pearls lying around, and they would usually grab as much as their hands could hold to transfer the pearls into containers for storage. Therefore, we call a group of pearls a handful of pearls.
Example 1: Where did you get the handful of pearls?
Example 2: How much would a handful of pearls cost if we sell them?
Necklace
(Meaning) Pearls are made into jewelry and one of the most popular and iconic pieces of jewelry is a necklace of pearls. This kind of necklace is full of pearls, usually having two or more strands. Therefore, we call a group of pearls a “necklace.”
Example 1: I’ve always dreamed of having my own necklace of pearls.
Example 2: That necklace of pearls has two stands, so I am sure that's quite expensive.
Rope
(Meaning) Pearls are one of the most popular pieces of jewelry in the world. Plenty of women own pearls as a sign of maturity and womanhood. Most pearl jewelry is in the form of a necklace or bracelet, to which the pearls are attached to a rope. Therefore, one of the most common collective nouns for a group of pearls is a rope of pearls.
Example 1: May I see the rope of pearls you had with you yesterday?
Example 2: I saw a rope of pearls in a store yesterday and I absolutely adored it!
String
(Meaning) Same as a rope of pearls, a string of pearls denotes jewelry in the form of a necklace or bracelet that is adorned with pearls. Nowadays, jewelry is made by attaching pearls to a string to create a necklace or a bracelet, which is why another collective noun for a group of pearls is “string.”
Example 1: I am saving up for a string of pearls I fell in love with at the jewelers.
Example 2: My husband got me a string of pearls for our 5th wedding anniversary.