For No. 002, I specifically selected pearls with a deep blue color, and No. 003 was made from the pearls remaining after that selection.

During the selection process for No. 002, quite a few high-quality pearls were left out simply because their blue color was lighter.

As a result, although No. 003 was assembled third, its pearls are still of very good quality.

More specifically, the surfaces of these pearls are smooth and beautiful.

From a little distance, they can actually look better than those in No. 001. But when you examine them closely, you’ll find that quite a few have tiny, dot-like surface blemishes, or wounds.

Still, from a short distance away, especially with aging eyes like mine, I can hardly see much difference in quality between No. 001 and No. 003.

When selling pearls like these, many pearl dealers describe them in much the same way, emphasizing things like how free of blemishes they are or how round they are.

The other day, I came home to my apartment building and stepped into the elevator.

As I reached out to press the button for my floor, my own River Bloom bracelet caught my eye.

The pearls in my bracelet are blue, but their color varies considerably. They have very irregular baroque shapes, with plenty of wrinkles, dimples, and other surface imperfections.

Their luster, however, is quite strong.

It had been raining that day, and my bracelet was a little wet.

Perhaps that was why the pearls seemed to shine more beautifully than usual.

I actually found myself murmuring, “Pearls really are beautiful.”

When selling pearls, we tend to emphasize their roundness, smooth surfaces, and strong luster.

But that moment reminded me that, as long as a pearl has a reasonable amount of luster, it can be more than beautiful enough to make my heart happy.

Personally, I can grow very attached to pearls even when their surfaces are full of wrinkles, dimples, and wounds.

I do, however, prefer their luster to be above average.

Of course, if you’re looking for high-quality pearls, this personal way of looking at them might not mean very much to you.

As a pearl dealer, I always prepare pearls that I can confidently present to you.

Occasionally, I offer pearls of lower quality as well, but their prices reflect that.

Above all, I love pearls myself, and I never want to show you pearls that might diminish your own love for them.

I want to offer pearls that will make you say, “Pearls really are beautiful, aren’t they?”

I also tend to prefer pearls with slightly more subdued luster over those with extremely intense luster.

A quiet but still strong luster. Perhaps somewhere in the upper-middle range.

When pearls are too dazzling and flashy, I sometimes feel uncomfortable with how much attention they attract.

I don’t know whether that’s a Japanese characteristic or simply part of my personality.

Well, perhaps it’s just my personal taste.

Now, I’m writing this article on a Sunday.

Unfortunately, I’m not yet at the stage where I can make a living entirely from pearls, so I work at a job unrelated to pearls during the week.

Lately, that job has been very busy, and I’ve been working from around 8 in the morning until about 10 at night.

As a result, I got up rather late today, Sunday, and started photographing these bracelets at around 11 a.m.

I finished photographing all seven bracelets shortly after 1 p.m.

Then I worked on listing No. 001 from 1:24 p.m. until 3:31 p.m.

After that, I worked on No. 002 from 3:31 p.m. until 4:48 p.m.

And now I’m writing the article for No. 003.

The current time is 5:21 p.m.

I ask AI to translate my Japanese writing into English and to help with things like entering tags on my website and preparing technical terminology, but I always write all of my articles myself.

AI tells me, “You should list your products faster and more efficiently. Try to reuse as much of your articles as possible.”

But I disagree.

Pearls are expensive.

And somehow, reusing the same article for each individual pearl product feels insincere to me.

“Considering all that effort, you don’t really write anything particularly impressive, do you?”

Please don’t say that!

I simply believe that spending time and imagination on each individual product article is a form of sincerity.

Still, it’s a difficult balance.

Some customers occasionally make purchases without reading the articles at all.

On the other hand, I’ve even had a customer who wasn’t particularly interested in pearls but bought something because they found my articles entertaining.

I’d love to go out for a drink with that person, but unfortunately, they live in a rather distant country.

Well, it looks as though I could keep talking for quite a while longer.

But I still have four more bracelets to list, so I’ll save the rest of the story for No. 004.

See you again!

🌸Seven River Bloom bracelets were created from a selection of 114 pearls.

The entire selection and crafting process was livestreamed, and the recordings have been posted as videos.

By watching these videos, you can also examine the quality of the pearls in their original, unassembled state.

🌸Each piece of Flower Jem jewelry is handcrafted using carefully selected Akoya pearls from Japan

I personally select the pearls for their shape, color, luster, and individual character.

I believe that the beauty of pearls goes far beyond perfect roundness. Every pearl has its own unique charm, shaped by nature.

Through Flower Jem, I hope to share not only the beauty of Akoya pearls, but also the stories, craftsmanship, and experiences behind each piece.

Exquisite Akoya Pearl Bracelets: Handpicked and Matched Perfectly

Blue Pearls, White Flowers, and a Little Rebellion

AKoya Bracelet