Mikimoto is, without question, an authority on pearls. When one thinks of a cool, crisp strand of white pearls, it would be nearly impossible to not picture that signature clasp to fasten that lustrous line around the neck.
But the brand, whose founder Kokichi Mikimoto created the first cultured pearls in 1893, has become so much more than the classic vision described. It has since expanded to a wide range of colors and types, designed for all styles and genders. From a collaboration with the famed Comme des Garçons to high jewelry decorated with rich colored gemstones, Mikimoto offers a world of design that puts pearls at its center. And there’s one kind of pearl it offers in a handful of designs that can’t be cultured at all—the conch pearl.
“There is no method for culturing these gems, thus each one is natural and extraordinary,” it is written on the brand’s website.
Its offering of jewels reflects that rarity, honoring the conch pearl in true Mikimoto style. Its high jewelry collection, Jardin Mystérieux, sees the gem dazzling alongside stones such as multicolor diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and cultured pearls, in enchanting garden-like displays that aptly demonstrate the collection’s name.
The more classic of its offerings—and the ones that put a stronger focus on the conch pearl at their core—feature diamonds in floral,
Edwardian-style settings that feel incredibly impactful and relevant. Imagine the suite in its entirety—bracelet, earrings, and ring—worn to a star-studded event. Just the sort of thing to make headlines among jewelry lovers everywhere.
Melo pearls—another type of pearl that might be confused for another stone by those not in the know—comprise other one-of-a-kind offerings from Mikimoto. Rare and beautiful, the melo ranges from yellow to dark brown, the most coveted variety displaying a Creamsicle shade of orange—the same as what you see in the jewels pictured here. Like conch pearls, the melos feature that silky “flame-like structure,” adding visual interest to an already beautiful gem.
“The natural melo pearls range in color from yellow to dark brown, however deep orange is the most desirable,” the brand states. “Like conch pearls, melo pearls are truly rare and are coveted as a collector’s item around the world.”
See all the conch and melo pearl offerings from Mikimoto on its website.
Top: Bracelet in 18k white gold with conch pearl and 3.3 cts. t.w. diamonds, price on request; Mikimoto
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