One gray autumn morning, on the way to her first class at the Sorbonne, a pale and beautiful Jessica Ruffie pauses for a cup of coffee and a cigarette.  The momentous occasion of University Commencement leads her to reflect on the lives of her aunts, uncles and grand-parents who, throughout her youth, had passed through the rambling apartment in the 18th Arrondissement in which she grew up, like a parade of colorful rare birds. Thus, instead of proceeding to the awaiting class, she has another coffee... and buys a flight to Mexico to her Aunt Tallaly, to begin her own idea of an education.  From a childhood littered with pearls, Jess has an innate eye for their quality.  But in Mexico and later Florida with Jean and Wendy, she learns the basics of how to drill and knot the pearl onto specially prepared leather, creating the finely engineered jewelry for which she is known today.  In St. Barth she works alongside her mother Mary selling the creations of her Grand-mother Maryvonne.  With gratitude, she comes to know the client; the Dreamers, Romantics, and Rebels who enable and promote the wonderful life of her family.  Among the steady flow of clients, are two brothers.  The younger Max is sailing around the world; a plan she decides to help him put on indefinite hold.  It is a time to create, to put down roots.  TerreMerLove is born, followed shortly after by a girl Saba, and a boy Paco.  They live mostly on a remote outcropping of stone in the Northern Atlantic and for several months of the year re-enter normal society on Maui or Saint Barth, or wherever they are invited.