Fashion, Jewellery & Watch, Magazine, Issue 123

Jewel of the Seas: Mikimoto Celebrates Ocean with New Collection

Text by Kate Missine
Photos Courtesy of Mikimoto

The majestic beauty of the sea has long been the inspiration behind Mikimoto’s legendary pearl creations. Now, from its mysterious depths rises the new Praise to the Sea high jewellery collection, a tribute to the ocean’s magnetic lure.

Top to Bottom (left): Threadfin Butterfly Fish brooch with aquamarine, sapphire, and diamond; Coral Reef necklace with morganite, topaz, and garnet; Spiral Wave ring in platinum with a White South Sea cultured pearl, sapphire, and tourmaline. Top right: Amakusa Jellyfish brooch with Akoya pearls, diamonds, quartz, and coloured gemstones. Bottom right: Clownfish and Sea Anemone brooch in mother-ofpearl, onyx, opal, and sapphire.

Launched at the Mikimoto Paris Boutique during Haute Couture Week, Praise to the Sea marks the 130th anniversary of the invention of the world’s first cultured pearls by founder Kokichi Mikimoto. The collection takes a mythical cue from the Kingdom of Poseidon, known as the birthplace of pearls, with pieces that capture the ocean in all its diversity.

*Top: Seadragon Akoya pearl strand necklace. Bottom: Whale Shark brooch. Opposite: Blue Whale necklace with Paraiba tourmaline, sapphire, and aquamarine.*

In Mikimoto’s signature style, the pieces embody a fusion of East and West. Scenes of light dancing on the water’s surface, the emergence of water colour gradients, and graceful clusters of fish in the open sea emerge artfully in the collection. At the centre of each design is, of course, the pearl, glimmering with perfectly polished lustre. Seamlessly melding nature and the art of high jewellery, Praise to the Sea is a testament to the ingenuity of the cultured pearl and Mikimoto’s unparalleled vision.