"Baroque" describes a pearl that is non-symmetrical and irregular in shape. The word is old and reportedly of Iberian origin, first applied to pearls by the Portuguese; in the 17th century the French art lexicon borrowed it for a whole decorative style. A common misconception treats irregular shape as proof a pearl is natural. It is not. Most natural nacreous pearls are indeed off-round, but fine round natural pearls exist; and while many saltwater cultured pearls come out round or near-round because of the spherical bead inserted during culturing, beaded cultured pearls can also be distinctly baroque. The clearest example is keshi: the non-beaded cultured pearls that form as a by-product of the culturing process are almost always baroque. So shape tells you about growth conditions, not about natural versus cultured origin.
In the photos, all natural pearls. Pendant in the form of a siren, probably ca. 1860 (front and back) © The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Barroque pearl figurine, ca. 1850-60 Jaipur © The Trustees of The British Museum; Gina Lollobrigida's pearl earrings © Sotheby's.
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Rui Galopim de Carvalho

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