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| Black Cultured South Sea Pearl Gold Earrings |
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| $1,200 - # 8079 |
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| Akoya Cultured Pearl Earrings, 6 prong gold posts |
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| Special Order - # 8006 |
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| "Swinging Pearls" |
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| $280 - #6121 |
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"The pearl comes to us perfect and beautiful,
direct from the hand of nature."
- from THE BOOK OF PEARLS
Pearls are gifts from the sea, cherished in the earliest written records. As
well, no doubt because of their eye catching and organic nature, pearls have been prized as gems long before recorded history.
Pearls are exquisite gems ready to be set in jewelry, unlike those gems,diamonds or rubies for instance, which owe much
of their beauty to the skill of a master stone cutter.
LINK - How and Where Pearls Grow
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| South Sea Cultured Pearl set in 14K ring |
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| $4,300 - # 5912 |
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| Biwa Cultured Pearl Ring |
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| # 5926 (by special order) |
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| Sterling Silver Band with Cultured Pearl |
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| $480 - #5877 |
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LINK - Lore surrounding pearls
Fortunately for those of us who treasure pearls, several notable and outstanding pearls have been given the care that
they deserve and so have survived the ravishes of time.
LINK - Notable Historic Pearls.
If you have been shopping for pearl jewelry, you already know that there is not an internationally agreed upon descriptive
system for grading pearls - such as the definative system for grading diamonds as developed by the Gemological Institute of
America.
Until such an internationally system is developed, Mitsuko, based on her extensive experience, will apply the following
set of standards for selecting pearls: NACRE QUALITY, LUSTER, SURFACE QUALITY, SHAPE, BODY COLOR, OVERTONE, SIZE and MATCHING.
Finally, there is RARITY.
LINK - Mitsuko recommends this pearl grading system.
LINK - The Many Varieties of Pearls for Your Jewelry.
LINK - The Pearl Necklace
Yes there are imitation pearls sold as "real" in the marketplace. Mitsuko finds
such deceptions regrettable, especially given the fact that there are such beautiful pearls, both natural and cultivated,
to incorporated in your jewelry. Be assured that Mitsuko will use only genuine pearls in her jewelry. Further, Mitsuko wants
you to be sure not to buy imitations. They are really not so beautiful after all.
LINK - Mediocre Imitation Pearls
After you acquire a favorite piece of pearl jewelry, it needs special care from time to time. You will
be rewarded for years to come for your attention. As well, your heirs will thank you for maintaining the beauty of the pearl
jewelry that has come to them through you.
LINK - Caring for Your Pearl Jewelry
Mitsuko thinks that natural pearls are like beautiful original wood that is crafted into fine furniture made entirely of
true wood. By way of comparison, the nacre of a cultured pearl can be thought of as a veneer of a certain thickness depending
upon how long the oyster has lived in the water.
Unfortunately, today pearls are often harvested too early because of economic pressures or simply because of greed for
a quick sale. Such pearls, taken before their time, are not allowed to mature to their potential beauty. This practice of
taking short cuts is regrettable, but, fortunately, is distained by ethical pearl farmers.
By way of closing, Mitsuko urges that you keep your necklaces or other jewelry featuring old Japanese cultured pearls.
Such special beauty is to be valued both for itself and for monetary reasons. The price of such treasures might have risen
higher than you suspect.
LINK -The story of Mitsuko's First Pearl.
LINK -Contact Mitsuko by email.
LINK - Birthstone Page.
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