You should actually begin your pearl treasure hunt before you land in Tokyo. Pearls are sold only on transpacific flights. Of course, quality of pearls varies greatly. Here are some basic guidelines: First, make sure pearls are genuine by inspecting the surface around holes drilled for stringing or setting. On genuine pearls the surface around the hole is smooth and you can see layers of nacre. Fake pearls have one layer of coating that is often wrinkled and cracked around the drill hole.
Or discreetly rub the pearls across your teeth. Genuine pearls feel gritty; fake pearls are smooth. Why are cultured pearls expensive? When the mother is 2 years old, a small nucleus of oyster shell is inserted into the mother, along with a piece of living tissue from another oyster. This process is repeated for two or three years. The number of layers and the quality and size of the pearl depend upon stabilization of the mother with proper temperature and nutrition.
Most nuclei are round. My visit to a Mikimoto Necklace store in Glasgow, Scotland. Which jewels should never be worn to a Japanese funeral? Find out here at the Motomachi Mikimoto store in Yokohama. View a gorgeous Mikimoto pearl necklace from the window at the Nagoya Mikimoto Pearl store. Here I was tempted to buy Even the carpet says Mikimoto at Shinsaibashi, Osaka, Japan. Here's another place to buy Mikimoto pearls in Osaka, Japan.
World Wide Mikimoto Store Locations. I promise to use it only to send you KariPearls Mag ezine. Ginza Area The Ginza area, where Mikimoto's first store began and now the location of the Mikimoto pearl main store Ginza Tokyo, is comparable to New York City's Fifth Avenue, with stylish people dressed in fur capes and designer clothing filling the busy sidewalks.
Bright music from next door added to the festive atmosphere. The Japanese people have wonderful ways of showing honor. Of the several brooches I especially noticed a peacock pin and a rabbit of baroque pearl pin. On this floor I happened to spot the lavatory for ladies, so took the opportunity to visit it.
What a pleasant surprise! The padded walls, real cloth towels, vanity and mirror door made my feel like a queen. Several styles are available to choose from.
Debutant necklaces and mother and baby sets can be purchased here as well. He is a symbol for a recent collection called, "Oasis--Over the Silk Road. Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how Many factors—for example how long the pearl grows in the shell, or if an oyster generates one or several pearls at a time—determine the quality of the gem.
Since there is no standardized, international grading system for pearls like there is for diamonds, it is essential to know the basics so you can go anywhere in the world with confidence to find that perfect pearl. Luster, or the shine of the pearl , is the most important trait to look for.
To look at luster, Yonamine suggests examining the pearls against a white cloth or piece of paper instead of a dark cloth, where any pearl will look good. Imperfections and uneven shapes are all right as long as nothing is chipping away. Department stores filled with dedicated jewelry sections and Mikimoto stores lining the streets of Ginza make for easy access to pearls in Tokyo.
But with the pearl being such a personal selection, the extra time spent becoming educated about the gem while being able to customize a design is an invaluable asset. Yonamine Pearls in Roppongi has been doing this since , when Jane and Wally Yonamine, a Japanese American couple from Hawaii, opened up the pearl shop. The long, successful history of Wally in his professional sports days, and the elegance, charm, and dedication of Jane are what give this shop every bit of its character.
Wally overcame the initial resentment of his foreign status from Japanese fans and players in , and went on to have one of the most successful careers in history as both a player and manager until During his time as a professional athlete, Jane opened up the pearl shop a few steps away from Roppongi Crossing.
The pearl shop attracted many of the athletes and wives from the baseball league, which led to many celebrities and even royalty to become loyal customers of the business. And it can all be seen in the framed photos and handwritten notes to Wally and Jane spread throughout the walls of the shop. A large assortment of necklaces, earrings, brooches, and bracelets are out on display, but the staff of six are able to custom design a piece based on your budget, skin tone, and overall preference in length, size, and shape.
And now, as long-time general manager, Keiko Umehara, Lynda, and the rest of the well-trained staff assume their positions, the future looks brighter than ever as they embark on their next 50 years of business.
As we head into November, our surroundings burst with the gradients of fall.
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