Akoya Pearl Necklace with Mint Green Thread – Hand-Knotted Style

This is an Akoya pearl necklace made with mint green thread. Previously, I only used blue thread for my necklaces, but this time, I decided to try making necklaces with various colors. In addition to mint green, I created necklaces with yellow, green, red, and reddish-brown threads.

 

My inspiration to start promoting pearls on Etsy came from these colorful thread necklaces. About five years ago, I was shocked when I saw an Instagram post by Cadeaux, a pearl store in Isetan department store in Shinjuku, Japan, featuring necklaces made with colored threads. At the time, I was working at one of Japan’s largest pearl companies, where I was surrounded by pearls and even gained experience in pearl farming knowledge that even many in the industry weren’t familiar with. Despite my daily immersion in pearls, I just couldn’t grow to like typical pearl necklaces.

Although I was captivated by the natural blue hues of Akoya pearls, I felt traditional necklaces were too formal and lacked practicality. I thought each pearl was beautiful, yet when strung together into a necklace, it often failed to showcase their charm. Of course, pearl necklaces play an important role in formal events and ceremonies. However, because they are expensive, most pearl necklaces end up spending long periods tucked away in a drawer, rarely worn in everyday life.

On the other hand, the colorful thread pearl necklaces were so cute and playful. I thought, “This is something I could wear daily, and since it’s just thread, it wouldn’t be expensive.” I was thrilled. I shared this idea with my supervisor, who showed no interest at all. “All-knot stringing has been around for a long time,” he said. All-knotting was traditionally done to prevent pearls from scattering if the string broke, but now with durable synthetic threads, he didn’t see the need for all-knotting.

But that wasn’t the point! I tried explaining, “Don’t you think the necklaces look cute with pink or blue thread?” but he just didn’t get it. He also found the all-knotting technique to be too much work.

Since my supervisors weren’t on the same page, I gave up trying to share this enthusiasm with them and instead asked if they could at least teach me the all-knotting technique. But they said, “It’s a hassle to teach, and the new synthetic threads don’t break, so all-knotting isn’t necessary.” I ended up learning the technique from YouTube, practicing six hours every night after work, and after two weeks, I finally got the hang of it.

I was overjoyed by how adorable these all-knotted necklaces looked with blue or pink threads. That joy still stays with me to this day. Back then, I had almost no one to share this excitement with, not only in my workplace but also among others in the pearl industry, who would respond with, “All-knotting? That’s old-fashioned. And colored thread? You have strange taste.”

It was around this time that a kind customer told me about Etsy, a platform that wasn’t well-known in Japan. I decided to start selling pearls there to find others who would feel the same joy about these colorful thread necklaces.

I was prepared for the possibility that this passion might not resonate with anyone else. However, there are people on Etsy who say, “This necklace is so cute!” and make purchases. This brings me a lot of happiness because “empathy” is one of the most important things to people.

When someone who loves pearls as much as I do tells me, “This all-knot, colorful thread necklace is cute,” it makes me genuinely happy. Strangely enough, with my hobbies like reading, playing guitar, and riding motorcycles, I don’t feel the same need for empathy from others, perhaps because they are already widely understood.

I’ve gone on about all-knotting for a while now, but let’s discuss the quality of these pearls. They’re baroque in shape, with a rich, thick nacre and a strong, deep luster that’s genuinely captivating. While the luster is not overpowering, it is definitely there. The pearls have a few small flaws, but they’re unnoticeable when worn. Over the past decade, I’ve been selecting freshly harvested pearls annually, a large volume given the company’s position as one of Japan’s top producers.

During the two-month harvest period, I sorted pearls daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no days off. Through this process, I had the invaluable experience of learning what makes a pearl truly appealing from various perspectives: from the farm workers, the managers, and of course, my own.

I’ve seen pearls that are perfectly round with no flaws but lack charm, and baroque pearls with deep, captivating luster. Perfectly round pearls with thick nacre, dazzling luster, and no flaws are highly desirable, but Mikimoto purchases these at auctions, making them extremely costly for the average person. Pricing is important, as is the balance with genuine pearl allure.

Many customers say, “I want round, flawless pearls with a strong luster,” but they also want them to be affordable. If they seek round, flawless, and highly lustrous pearls at a lower price, they’ll likely end up with pearls that have thin nacre and look more plastic-like, lacking in depth. In such cases, I’d recommend imitation pearls, as my sister-in-law once did.

For people without a genuine interest in pearls, I believe it’s a waste to spend money on pearls half-heartedly. Instead, they could spend that money on something meaningful for their child. But if they’re genuinely interested in pearls, then investing accordingly is worthwhile. Otherwise, imitation is the best option.

To me, the essence of a pearl’s allure lies not in its shape but in a deep, intense luster. Prioritizing that, I recommend choosing the best within one’s budget, possibly baroque pearls or those with small flaws if the budget is limited.

If you want pearls from renowned brands like Mikimoto or Tasaki, saving up is the only way. I know well what kind of pearls they’re after, and they always purchase the highest-quality ones at auction. The pearls chosen by Mikimoto go through a strict selection process, known as “Mikimoto selection,” which makes their batches smaller and the unit cost higher due to stringent sorting.

Although my shop isn’t a brand, I’ve received consistent feedback, as you can see from the reviews. I am confident in my understanding of genuine pearl appeal, so if you’re unsatisfied with this necklace, I will accept returns. While perfection would make pearls more expensive, baroque pearls offer a deeply charming, thick nacre at a more affordable price.

Buying pearls from a monitor is challenging. You may need to reflect on what you value most in a pearl—its shape, luster, flaw tolerance, or depth of nacre. This exploration may even connect you to something essential about your own life. When you find the answer, I would be happy if you shared it with me.

The process of making this necklace can be seen here.

 

 

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