Would it be dramatic to say that Mikimoto’s new high jewellery collection, The Bows, would fit right in on the film set of a period drama? Not at all. Especially since the creations look like ones that Queen Charlotte would completely fawn over with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips.
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Unveiled at Paris’s Hôtel d'Évreux during the recent Haute Couture week (the Japanese brand has been a High Jewellery member of the Haute Couture Federation since 2018), the collection presents stylistic details that span the elegant, geometric symmetry of the Renaissance period (think: pearl-loving Queen Elizabeth I) to the ornate flourishes of the Rococo period (all hail, Marie Antoinette)—all while revisiting a much-cherished brand motif: The elegant ribbon tied up as a pretty bow.
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In one necklace, Akoya and South Sea cultured pearls glimmer on a delicate openworked bib that’s studded with pastel-coloured tourmaline, morganites, spinels, pink sapphires, aquamarines, and diamonds. In another body-adornment design, strings of Akoya pearls and diamonds envelop the neck, while others drape sensuously across each shoulder with fluid motions that capture light with the arm’s every move. It’s the perfect balance of Old World charm with modern sensibilities that can be teamed with a crisp white shirt and black leather pants as it can with a sweater and a sheer skirt. (Though, with a piece as dramatic as this, you’d be forgiven for saving it for white-tie events.)
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Our personal favourite is the diamond-fringed cravat-like necklace with Akoya pearls woven into a lace-like fabric (shown just above). A generously sized green tourmaline takes pride of place at the knot of the elegant bow, resulting in looks that delight and awe in equal measure.
In the 131 years since Mikimoto gifted the world its first-ever cultivated pearl, the Japanese purveyor has been leading the charge in the industry. The Bows collection exemplifies just how it has managed to do that: With faultless craftsmanship, quality gems and designs that appeal to the style-loving crowd.
Here are more Mikimoto options to whet your appetite.