Akoya necklace

This is an Akoya pearl necklace with a refreshing, translucent blue hue. I brought this necklace as a reference when I visited a jewelry store in Osaka for business recently. The shop owner said, “I haven’t seen genuine pearls like this in a long time. This is truly captivating. The natural blues in my store are quite lackluster.” While the blue in this necklace may not appear intensely saturated, it maintains its deep blue color regardless of the lighting or surroundings. Its luster is surprisingly strong, making the necklace appear as if it’s floating. Despite its vibrant, transparent blue, it possesses a resilience that remains unaffected by its environment.

People who maintain their amiable personalities and pleasant demeanor while staying true to their opinions are cool and attractive. I have uploaded a video on YouTube showcasing the quality of the pearls in this necklace, which spans over an hour. Personally, I also appreciate blue pearls like these, but this pearl necklace stands out due to its smooth surface and brilliant shine. Although it’s baroque in shape, it exudes a sultry vibe, making it seem less suitable for someone like me, a man. I do acknowledge that there are round pearls with a more feminine appeal, but I haven’t encountered many baroque pearls that give off such a feminine vibe. While categorizing pearls as more suited for men or women is a delicate issue in today’s context, I personally find this pearl to be quite feminine. This pearl seems to have a high level of sophistication.

Now, the abstract product introduction comes to a close. I’m currently working on creating shop cards. I tend to be quite whimsical, and I can’t even explain why I suddenly felt the urge to make shop cards at this moment. It just happened out of the blue. When I sat down to design them, I contemplated the front side. Since my shop is, after all, a pearl store, my initial thought was to feature a photo of pearls on the shop card. However, when I tried creating a prototype using Adobe Illustrator, it looked rather ordinary. It’s common for pearl shops to use photos of pearls on their shop cards, and many of them have beautifully designed cards. Being an amateur in design, I felt that if I went in a similar direction, my shop card would likely get lost among the many others.

So, I began to reflect on my shop and my customers. I often engage with customers about various topics beyond pearls. Our store’s mascot, a dog named Lulu, is frequently a part of these interactions. I personally find Lulu to be quite beautiful, and customers often share this sentiment. In Japan, social niceties are quite common, and I believe this is also true overseas. However, despite that, Lulu remains a popular figure. That’s when I decided to make Lulu the face of my shop card. Even though it’s a pearl store, the face of the shop card is a dog. I wanted to convey that we don’t limit ourselves to just pearls.

For the back of the card, I designed it with pearls as the background. The text reads, “You are the star of your life. Just like cleaning and maintaining pearls, it also polishes your heart. You shine just like pearls do, so go ahead and live your life as the leading character.” It’s a subtle way of saying, “Remember to clean your pearls regularly.” However, the content I’ve included is something I came up with today after deep contemplation. Even if you buy a captivating pearl, the pearl itself isn’t the protagonist. Instead, pearls are there to complement the person who owns them. Everyone has their own home, and within those homes, there are many precious things. Yet, no matter how valuable they are, the true owners are you and me. Even the most enchanting and beautiful pearls are there to enhance the appearance and enjoyment of the person who owns them.

So, it’s not good if a pearl’s luster becomes dull due to cosmetics or sweat. By caring for our pearls, we also tend to our own appearance and the tidiness of our homes. These actions undoubtedly have a positive influence on others. While I know many people who already maintain a neat appearance, these thoughts reflect my personal feelings. I often clean pearls when I’m feeling physically and mentally well, but I also clean them when I’m tired. Sometimes, when I’m going through tough times, cleaning pearls or glasses can set things in a better direction. Cleaning the house is somewhat similar to cleaning pearls, and I also find it akin to the act of praying. Even when going through hard times, engaging in these activities, such as cleaning or caring for pearls, requires us to face forward. There are various methods and practices, but in this case, it’s all about pearls. I believe that caring for pearls is akin to a form of prayer, even though this might sound a bit forceful.

I’m writing this somewhat spontaneously while feeling a bit sleepy, and I have many thoughts pouring out. However, I’m not entirely sure if I’ve expressed them eloquently. So, in a nutshell, it’s about “Clean your pearls to maintain their shine, and while you’re at it, stay positive, and life will get better, right?” That’s the essence of it. Well, I hope you continue to find what you’re looking for on Etsy.com. I’ve been enjoying searching for wall art on Etsy.com lately. I’m looking for a large painting that depicts a forest with dappled sunlight. That’s about it.