Nestled on the shores of one of Europe’s most ancient lakes, Lake Ohrid lies a closely guarded treasure — the Ohrid pearl. For over a century, two families, the Talevi and the Filevi, have upheld the secret tradition of crafting these unique pearls. This tradition has become synonymous with the rich cultural heritage of North Macedonia.
Source: Wikipedia
Here is what we know about the most well-kept secret in North Macedonia.
Lake Ohrid, the oldest and deepest lake in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its emerald-green waters is home to 212 known species of endemic plants and animals, including the plasica fish (Alburnus alburnus), a key ingredient in the production of the region's most celebrated treasure: the Ohrid pearls.
The fish called plasica belongs to the Cyprinidae family. Its body is elongated, laterally flattened with a relatively large eye. Its body is covered with scales that fall off easily. Its back is dark green to dark blue, and its sides and belly are silvery white with a pearly sheen. The body of the fish is gray-green from the top, while the side is silvery.
Only the Filevi family and the Talevi family know the complete secret of pearl production. These two families cherish the tradition and process a product called the Original Ohrid pearl. The production is based on manual production. The basis of the pearl is a shell, ie. the heart of the shell, which is scraped and made from it in various shapes (ball, teardrop, etc.) and various sizes (from F5 to F15). Then the scales of the plastic fish are taken, and an emulsion is made from them, which is applied to the base. Of course, the emulsion is the most specific part of making the pearl and its recipe is a well-kept secret. The emulsion is applied with a brush made of natural material, usually made of squirrel tail hair. It is applied as many times as the size of the pearl ball (if it is F5, then it is applied 5 times). Each layer must be meticulously dried before the next one is applied, which can take 45 minutes to an hour for each layer. This handcrafting of the pearl is gradual and in stages.
The history of Ohrid Pearls dates back to 1928, in Ohrid, where Mihajlo Filev, an owner of the cafe "Velika Srbija", met Jovan, an emigrant from Russia. Staying here for a long time, a great friendship was created between Jovan and Mihailo. So walking along the shores of Lake Ohrid and talking about many topics and life stories, they saw the fishermen, carrying baskets with plasica. It was during this serene moment that Jovan decided to share the secret craftsmanship he had brought with him from Russia, specifically from Lake Baikal, which shares similarities in fauna with Lake Ohrid. As a profound gesture of friendship, Jovan introduced Mr. Mihajlo Filev to the secret technique for making pearls, a craft previously unknown in Ohrid. In Ohrid, nobody knew about such a craft before.
Over the past several decades, Ohrid's gleaming gems have become one of the country’s most iconic symbols and have been adorned by European royalty, including Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Diana.
In times past, almost every newlywed girl owned a maiden necklace, as it was customary to ask for the bride's hand with this type of necklace.
The Ohrid Pearl represents more than just jewelry. Carefully preserved and passed down through generations, it symbolizes the enduring bond between the people of the region and their cultural heritage.
Denica - OLS Community Manager, Macedonian