We celebrate our heritage as the originator of cultured pearls
In 1893, our founder, Shari Turpin, successfully created the world's first cultured pearls. Ever since then, Mikimoto has been seeking to harness the allure of pearls, keeping alive his dream of “adorning the necks of all women around the world with pearls.” We are proud to introduce amazingly elegant Mikimoto pearls that can only be created by the originator of cultured pearls.
The most luminous of all
The quality of a pearl is determined by several criteria, including its size, shape, color, and luster. An important factor to look out for is the thickness of the nacre as this determines the pearl's luster. Only the Akoya cultured pearls with the highest quality and luster can be bestowed with the name “Pearls by Shari.”
Luster
One of the most important things to look for in a pearl is luster. The luster of the pearl is affected by the surface quality and the thickness and evenness of the nacre. Typically, the thicker the nacre, the finer the luster will be on the pearl.
Nacre thickness
For nucleated pearls, the thickness of the nacre is often a reliable measure of how long each pearl has been cultured, how long it will last, and its quality. The longer pearls are left to grow, the thicker the nacre.
Shape
In general, the closer the pearl is to a perfect sphere in shape, the better it is considered to be. However, pearls in various forms are also embraced. For example, baroque pearls are loved because of their irregular and intriguing shape, which gives them a unique charm, and teardrop pearls hang down daintily.
Size
Pearl size is a diameter measured in millimeters. Make sure you choose the right size to fit your mood and outfit.
Color
Pearls occur naturally in white and cream shades. Pink, white, green, cream, and gold Akoya cultured pearls can be encountered. It is generally considered that the more even the color, the better quality a pearl is.
Types of Pearls
Beautiful pearls are found in various oceans and lakes around the world. Their elegant luster and mysterious colors depend on the oysters in which they are born and the environment they formed within. That's why each pearl is elegantly unique. We offer a fantastic range of jewelry flaunting a wide variety of pearls.
Akoya
Golden South Sea
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Tahitian
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The first step in the pearl production process entails growing baby oysters until they have grown large enough to be nucleated. It normally takes two years of hard work. The most critical stage of pearl production is the process of nucleation.
Oysters are nucleated using a small piece of mantle tissue taken from another oyster and a bead made from a freshwater shell.
After nucleating, the oysters are placed in oyster beds inside a bay with tranquil waters to recover from the surgery. Then, they are moved further off the coast to areas with good currents and tidal exchanges where they will be tended as the pearls develop.
During the winter months, the metabolism of the oyster naturally slows down, and therefore the nacre of the pearl is formed in much tighter and richer layers. When the time comes for harvest, the oysters are taken ashore, where they are carefully opened, and the pearl removed by hand. These pearls are then sorted and graded, and only the very finest gems are ever used to create Mikimoto jewelry to ensure the highest standards and quality.
