One of the highlights of any pearl lover’s jewellery calendar is a visit to a Mikimoto boutique. But an even greater treat is being invited to Mikimoto’s salon at the Couture Show!
As in previous years, the Mikimoto salon at the Wynn Resort’s exclusive luxury villas perfectly embodied the essence of high luxury.
A by-invitation-only, private presentation, the salon was where the brand’s latest collections and one-of-a-kind high jewellery pieces were unveiled to a select coterie of guests.
At the Mikimoto Salon
While the hot Las Vegas sun cast its blistering warmth outside, the villa was cool and well-lit, its décor enhanced by floral arrangements in vibrant hues as well as soft pastel tones.
The luxurious jewellery exhibits were arranged around the periphery of the room and on a round table at the centre. Remarkably, even the displays embodied the very essence of this storied pearl jewellery brand : timeless elegance, Japanese craftsmanship, an uncompromising adherence to top quality and understated opulence.
On exhibit was an arresting mix of fine and high jewellery pieces of unsurpassed allure, each showcasing gem-quality saltwater pearls – Akoya, Tahitian (or black South Sea) as well as white and golden South Sea pearls.
Here are some of the most noteworthy collections on display at the Mikimoto salon.
The Bows High Jewellery Collection
Ribbons have long played a prominent role in Mikimoto’s designs. Vintage floral Akoya pearl brooches often featured delicate ribbon festoons. More recently, the brand’s Jeus de Rubans collection showcased graceful gold bows at the heart of the pearl jewellery designs.
Last year, Mikimoto debuted it’s The Bows high jewellery collection, which presented stylish and contemporary iterations of this beloved and enduring motif.
The Mikimoto salon exhibited three high jewellery necklaces from this collection. Each featured a different version of the bow, crafted in 18K gold and adorned with diamonds and even a large silky white South Sea pearl.
One of the standout necklaces from The Bows collection at the salon, featured a central ribbon motif in diamond-set white gold, its ends gently wrapping around the Akoya pearl strand. It was a beautiful example of Japanese design ingenuity and exceptional craftsmanship.
Conch Pearls
Mikimoto is famous for it gems quality cultured pearls. The same uncompromising insistence on quality extends to its natural Conch pearl collection as well.
Glossy, large, pink conch pearl set in the brand’s one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces met all the top criteria for gem-quality, non-nacreous natural pearls.
The pearls, each one large and deeply saturated in colour, exhibited clear and vivid flame patterns. Set amid a surround of sparkling diamonds, the conch pearls enchanted with their delightful colours and unique beauty.
Arabesque Fine Jewellery Collection
The pieces from the brand’s Arabesque collection were head-turners as well. This fine jewellery collection takes its name from the repeating, curvilinear and symmetrical motifs found in fine art, ceramics, fabrics and Middle-Eastern architecture.
The Arabesque pieces featured one luminous, white, round South Sea pearls, nestled at the centre of a diamond-set pink gold frame. The design of the pieces was intricate, with geometric precision perfectly married to aesthetic appeal.
As a jewellery lover, it was impossible not to be torn between admiring the fine details of the design and craftsmanship, and marveling at the sheer radiance of the South Sea pearl set within each piece.
Harmony of Colours High Jewellery Collection
Mikimoto’s Harmony of Colours high jewellery collection is an ode to the beauty of pearls, which both complement (and are complemented by) the vivid hues of exceptional gemstones.
Launched a few years ago, this is an evolving high jewellery collection with one-of-a-kind pieces that evoke old Hollywood glamour while remaining trés chic and contemporary in appeal.
The pieces at the salon featured gemstones that beautifully enhanced the brand’s signature pearl, the Japanese Akoya. These included inky sapphires, vibrant Tanzanites, blush-pink sapphires and many more.
Two Akoya pearl, Tanzanite and diamond high jewellery necklaces from this collection were particularly mesmerizing. Both necklaces featured large, single tanzanites as hero gemstones, showcasing gorgeous, deep shades of blue and purple. These colors effortlessly shifted and melted into each other depending on the angle from which the piece was viewed.
Another fascinating aspect of these Tanzanites was their brilliant lustre. Set beside sharply lustrous Akoya pearls and icily glittering, brilliant-cut diamonds, the Tanzanites held their ground with their intense colours and striking lustre. These pieces were true standouts at the Mikimoto salon.
Mikimoto’s Akoya Pearls
Almost synonymous with this Japanese legacy pearl brand, Mikimoto’s Akoya pearls are often considered the “gold standard” of Akoya pearls in the global jewellery industry.
The brand is known for selecting only the best pearls. These pearls have to meet very strict criteria across five quality factors: lustre, nacre thickness, shape, size and colour. It is no wonder that the brand chooses less than 10 percent of all the pearls it evaluates.
Mikimoto’s Akoya pearls look lovely in photographs and videos, but in real life, they are spectacular!
Their lustre is what pulls you in – sharp and mirror-like, making it seem as if they are lit up from within. Their round shapes and white colour with its subtle overtones are equally captivating.
Set in high or fine jewellery pieces or on their own in a graduated necklace strand, Mikimoto’s Akoya pearls are nothing less than remarkable.
What makes Mikimoto Special?
As a brand, Mikimoto has seamlessly blended heritage, poetic elegance and exceptional craftsmanship into its DNA. Every Mikimoto creation whispers of quiet luxury that is rooted in Japanese artistry, pursuit of uncompromising quality and elevated design. More than just jewellery, Mikimoto offers a legacy of beauty that continues to inspire.
Featured Image: Akoya Pearl and Diamond High Jewellery Necklace, Mikimoto
