Header: Courtesy of Duffy
Pearl Table, the latest design by London-based design studio Duffy, mimics the appearance of a pearl gliding through water. The ephemeral moment of movement is sculpted in black and white marble. Doubleing both as a piece of furniture and an objet d’art, the design depicts the physics of fluid motions, conveying the transitory energy of water into a permanent, solid furniture piece.
“It’s been fifteen years since our last water-inspired design, the Abyss collection, which explored the perfection of still water. With the Pearl Table, we wanted to examine what happens when that surface is disrupted — studying boat wakes, skimming stones and the dynamic shapes formed as objects cut through water.”
Christopher Duffy, Founder and Chief Designer of Duffy
Three stages of marble
The solid marble Perl Table consists of three large blocks of marble, each representing a stage of ripple and energy that moves away from the disruptive object – the pearl. The marble adds groundness and durability to the piece while, at the same time, honouring the geological formation of the pearl.
Design based on examination and experimentation
The design is based on prolonged research and experimentation. Duffy examined the behaviour of water when its surface is broken by an object from both a creative and an engineering perspective. Ripples and splashes that appear when a solid object collides with the surface are responsible for the table’s eye-grabbing geometry. This complex geometry is created with five-axis CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining to shape marble without causing fractures.
Following an extensive experimentation process, the object took the shape of white shiny pearls, skimming across shallow water. This brief playful gesture, a precious object momentarily sheds its value to become a temporary spark of delight as it ricochets across the surface. Pearl Table captures this exact moment, freezing the pearl at the point of impact while rippling waves radiate outward in concentric motion.
A coffee table and a sculptural object
Each table is made on request from the finest Italian and Portuguese marble. Every surface was individually carved to obtain that fluid character of water movement. The table is a statement piece that will undoubtedly be a centrepiece of every room. However, Pearl Table has a practical function as well. Designed to be used as a coffee table, while anchoring the space.
Dimensions and availability
The table is available in dimensions of 1000 × 1000 × 450 mm, though it can be customised to suit client requirements. A range of bespoke material options further allows the piece to adapt to individual user needs and spatial contexts. Every table is made to order, shying away from the field of mass-produced furniture objects and reinforcing its status as a collectable, sculptural piece.
The three-piece table transforms the temporary moment of a water rifle into a permanent usable object. Somewhere between a coffee table and a collector object, Pearl Table demands the attention of every space it inhabits.
Technical Information
Standard dimensions: 1000 × 1000 × 450mm (H)
Maximum height (including pearl): 660mm
Weight: 285kg
Materials: Italian and Portuguese marble (bespoke options available)
Lead time: 14 weeks
Production: Made to order
