The Filevi family are one of only two families who hold the secret recipe for the Ohrid pearl emulsion – the other is the Talevi family. Each pearl is coated by hand in layers of an emulsion made from the scales of the plasica, a small fish endemic to Lake Ohrid, which is why an Ohrid pearl is not a pearl in the usual sense at all.
Pieces come with a certificate of authenticity in a booklet describing the process. This matters more than it sounds: the main Old Town street is full of imitators, and reviewers who researched which shops are genuine keep arriving here.
Local tip: Buy from one of the two named families – Filevi or Talevi – and take the certificate. Everything else on the strip is a souvenir.
Good to know
- Where: Tsar Samoil Street, Old Town, Ohrid
- City: Ohrid
- Website: official site
Plan your visit to Ohrid