Mikimoto America Pearls

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Pearls
Birth of a Pearl
Kinds of Pearls
Qualities of Pearl
Mikimoto Grading System
Jewelry Guide
While luster, pearl quality, surface perfection, color, shape and size are standard factors for pea
grading, the MIKIMOTO pearl grading scale is the only qualified system which accurately and
General Care
consistently defines these factors by four individual grade categories.
Pearl Care
Jewelry Terms
No one factor can solely represent the worth of a pearl, but luster and surface perfection are key
in grading a pearl. There are four MIKIMOTO grades, AAA being the highest quality: A, A+, AA a
AAA. There are also four sub-grades: A1, A+1, AA1 and AAA1. The "1" represents a slightly mor
blemished surface.
This Pearl Pyramid represents the quantity and quality of all cultured pearls harvested in Japan.
the best cultured pearls are deemed worthy to carry the MIKIMOTO name.
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Pearls
Birth of a Pearl
Kinds of Pearls
Qualities of Pearl
Jewelry Guide
General Care
Pearl Care
Jewelry Terms Daily Care
If substances such as cosmetics, hair spray, or perfume adhere to your jewels, they
will lose their radiance, absorbing dirt and dust and causing alteration or loss of
colour. Be sure to put on your jewelry after you do your make-up, and to wipe your
jewelry with a soft cloth after use.
Storage
Always fasten clasps and pins so that chains do not get tangled and jewels do not
get scratched from rubbing against one another. Then lay each item out separately,
one by one. If you carry your jewelry around, be sure to put it into a jewelry pouch.
Maintenance
No matter how carefully you take care of your jewelry, small parts may come loose.
We recommend that you carefully check such parts as the hooks that support the
jewels, the clasps of necklaces, the screws of earrings and brooch pins.
Cleaning
If you feel that the radiance of your jewelry has diminished, take it to a specialist.
Cleaning with ultrasonic cleanser and other methods may lead to damage, so we
recommend caution.

Pearls
Birth of a Pearl
Kinds of Pearls
Qualities of Pearl
Jewelry Guide
General Care
Pearl Care
Jewelry Terms
Daily Care of Pearl Jewelry
Pearls are organic gemstones that are vulnerable to acid, alkaline and different
humidity levels. Perfume and hairspray, which contain alcohol and harmful acids,
should be avoided on the areas where pearls are worn.
Perspiration can also harm the beauty of pearls, dulling their beautiful luster.
Therefore, after wearing them, they should be wiped with a damp (not wet), soft
cloth or a silicon cloth.
Be careful not to dip pearls in water or wear them while bathing, as water can
weaken the silk thread. Do not leave them in direct sunlight or expose them to high
temperatures. If pearls happen to come into contact with substances such as
vinegar, fruit juices or detergents, immediately wipe that substance off.
Even though pearls are exceptionally cohesive and shock-resistant, they rank only
3.5 to 4.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, so they may be scratch by contact with sharp
objects or other gemstones.
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Pearls
Birth of a Pearl
Kinds of Pearls
Qualities of Pearl
Jewelry Guide
General Care
Pearl Care
Jewelry Terms Necklaces
o Necklaces
o Rings
o Earrings
Choker About 16”. The most popular length, suitable for bot
o Pendants
o Brooches and casual occasions.
o Bracelets
o Techniques
Princess About 18”. Longer version of the choker.
Matinee About 22”. The usual length for daytime wear.
Opera About 30-32”. The most common length for formal w

consist of two strands.
Rope About 40” or longer. There are a number of variation

including two strands, three strands, and knots.
Clasp The metal piece that closes the necklace. The MIKI
clasp is engraved with the MIKIMOTO trademark, a
of an Akoya oyster with the letter M inside.
HOME MIKIMOTO HISTORY MIKIMOTO NEWS & EVENTS PEARL & JEWELRY CATALOG ABOUT JEWELRY MIKIMOTO STORE LO

Pearls
Birth of a Pearl
Kinds of Pearls
Qualities of Pearl
Jewelry Guide
General Care
Pearl Care
Jewelry Terms Pearls are created from a
core. The core of a natural 1. Raising Oysters
pearl is simply a fragment
of shell or fishbone, or a Culturing a pearl within an oyster requires a great deal of time and
grain of sand that strays dedication. First, a healthy mother oyster produces baby oysters.
into the unsuspecting pearl MIKIMOTO chooses oysters that have thick shells and beautiful in
oyster's shell. To protect be used for breeding. During the next two years, the baby oysters
itself from this irritant the nurtured with great care in large basket nets that are submerged
oyster secretes multiple seas. Upon maturity, the oysters are ready to be implanted with th
layers of nacre, forming a nucleus.
pearl.
In 1893, Kokichi 2. Inserting the Nucleus

MIKIMOTO conceived a
method of duplicating this Inserting the nucleus into the oyster is a very delicate process. A n
natural process by inserting created from pig-toe shell (freshwater mussels found in the beds o
a shell fragment into the U.S. Mississippi River) in the shape of a round bead is inserted in
oyster and stimulating the pearl oyster. The pig-toe shell has genetic properties similar to the
oyster to grow the oyster and therefore lowers the chances of being rejected by the
thousands of layers of
nacre which form a
beautiful lustrous pearl. 3. Pearl Cultivation
After insertion, the oysters are returned to the sea. They are subm
wire-mesh baskets to protect them from natural enemies, and hun
long, floating rafts. The waters are monitored constantly and the r
often moved to protect the oysters from predators, extreme tempe
changes, red tides and other afflictions. The oysters are left subm
during which time the pearly substance, nacre, forms around the n
Painstaking attention is devoted to the well-being of both the pear
oysters. Several times each year, the oyster baskets are lifted out

Pearls
Birth of a Pearl
Kinds of Pearls
Qualities of Pearl
Jewelry Guide
General Care
Pearl Care
Jewelry Terms The various types of pearls Akoya Cultured Pearls
differ in their luster and their
mysterious colors
depending on the type of
oyster that produced them,
and they can take on a wide
variety of appearances.
Akoya pearls are produced by Akoya oysters in Japan. Dependin
size of the oyster, their size may vary between 3-10mm. The rang
of these pearls includes white, cream, pink, green, silver, and gol
pearls are known for their high luster and rich color.
South Sea Cultured Pearl
These are large pearls, most more than 10mm, produced by muc
oysters (Pinctada maxima) in the warm waters of the South Seas
Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The color of the South S
is determined by different oyster types. White South Sea pearls a
produced by Silver Lipped pearl oysters. Golden pearls are produ
the Golden lipped oyster. Their warm, natural golden color is said
rarer than gold itself.
Learn more about MIKIMOTO South Sea Pearls.

Pearls
Birth of a Pearl
Kinds of Pearls
Qualities of Pearl
Jewelry Guide
General Care
Pearl Care
Jewelry Terms
As the Originator of Cultured Pearls, MIKIMOTO maintains the strictest quality standards.
Each pearl harvested is as different and individual as a fingerprint, making it essential to
follow quality grading standards. There are five physical factors that determine the quality
of pearls and that are important to understand when buying pearls:
Luster
Luster is the amount of light reflected from the pearl's surface. Luster is the surface glow,
as well as the deep mirror-like reflection of the light, or “inner light”. Nacre quality in
cultured pearls will improve the overall luster. Many even layers of nacre are required to
create a highly defined spectrum of color. Only the highest quality pearls with the best
luster carry the MIKIMOTO name.
Surface Perfection
As a product of nature, tiny marks found on pearls are part of their natural texture and are
proof of the genuineness of a cultured pearl. These blemishes are produced by outside
sea particles and objects that find their way into the oyster and brush against the pearl. A
pearl is considered more valuable when the surface imperfections are minimal.
Color
There is a wide spectrum of colors that can be found in pearls. Basic colors include cream,
gray, green, blue and pink. The most popular colors are white and pink rosé because these
shades flatter the widest range of skin tones. Color is based on preference, but it is always
important to find a color that is rich and evenly distributed on the pearl.

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YOU ARE VISITING MIKIMOTO

ONLINE STORE STORE LOCATIONS CONTACT US MIKIMOTO

YOU ARE VISITING MIKIMOTO

ONLINE STORE STORE LOCATIONS CONTACT US MIKIMOTO

ONLINE STORE STORE LOCATIONS CONTACT US MIKIMOTO

Daily Care of Pearl Jewelry

YOU ARE VISITING MIKIMOTO

HOME HISTORY NEWS & EVENTS COLLECTIONS ABOUT JEWELRY

ONLINE STORE STORE LOCATIONS CONTACT US MIKIMOTO

Princess About 18”. Longer version of the choker.

Matinee About 22”. The usual length for daytime wear.

Opera About 30-32”. The most common length for formal w

Rope About 40” or longer. There are a number of variation

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ONLINE STORE STORE LOCATIONS CONTACT US MIKIMOTO

In 1893, Kokichi 2. Inserting the Nucleus

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ONLINE STORE STORE LOCATIONS CONTACT US MIKIMOTO

South Sea Cultured Pearl

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ONLINE STORE STORE LOCATIONS CONTACT US MIKIMOTO

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