#C Beyond the Lace Curtain

This is an Akoya pearl necklace.

 

 

 

The pearls are 9mm in size and are baroque pearls, slightly closer to round.

This necklace was originally made from approximately 763 individual pearls.

Flower Jem evaluated the pearls based on criteria such as depth of blue, degree of wounding, luster, and surface smoothness, undergoing over a dozen sorting processes before creating 14 strands.

The entire sorting process is documented on YouTube, resulting in 16 videos totaling 21 hours and 20 minutes.

These videos offer a fascinating glimpse into the journey of 763 pearls to become a necklace.

It’s just a bit long, that’s all.

This necklace is one of those strands.

Among the 14 strands, this necklace ranks approximately 7th in quality.

While the pearls in the higher and lower-ranked necklaces were fairly consistent in luster and surface smoothness, this necklace, being somewhere in the middle, shows some inconsistency in quality.

 

 

In school class divisions, a mid-level class might have a mix of academically strong and less academically strong students; this necklace is similar in that respect.
The pearls have a slightly dull luster but are round, while others have a strong luster but are baroque in shape. Although they have different characteristics, their overall evaluation scores are almost the same, meaning they belong to the same necklace, the same class.

Some pearls are slightly darker in color, but thanks to the all-knot construction, there’s about a 2mm gap between each pearl, so the color differences aren’t very noticeable; in fact, from a different perspective, it could even look like a stylish gradation.

The pearls are actually silver, not blue, but they have a strong luster, and at 9mm, they’re on the larger side for Akoya pearls, making for a striking necklace when worn.

Round pearls are generally rated higher, but even round pearls lose half their appeal if they lack luster.

 

 

This necklace has some slight color variations in the pearls, and some pearls have a slightly cloudy surface, but their luster makes it an attractive pearl necklace.

The lightness of the color, the luster, and the lavender thread give this necklace a very elegant look.

Now, regarding these 9mm pearls, my purchase of 764 pearls began with a misunderstanding on my part.

A certain customer had long requested that I make another bracelet if I ever found dark 9mm pearls.

 

 

So, one day, I saw those pearls at a pearl dealer and decided to purchase them.

The price was about the same as a used car, so it took considerable courage for me.

As Flower Jem primarily deals in natural baroque pearls, I had no choice but to purchase them.

I immediately informed the customer that I had purchased them, but she said, “That wasn’t me.”

I had somehow mistaken her for someone else.

Ultimately, she purchased the highest quality bracelet I had selected first.

However, without that misunderstanding, I might not have had the courage to purchase these pearls.

It was such a large purchase.

 

 

Thanks to that, I was able to select a large quantity of pearls, and it was a very enjoyable experience. And I also made 14 strands.

Normally, I buy them in strands, but I’m very satisfied that I was able to make the strands myself this time.

What is the purpose of each individual pearl in this necklace?

I know the answer to that question completely.

Also, this necklace has a gold-plated silver clasp.

 

 

Flower Jem often use silver, but this gold clasp also started out of a misunderstanding.

It was because the friendly lady at my clasp supplier made a mistake with my order.

She said, “Sorry! Please return it immediately,” but I thought, “This must be fate.”

I immediately asked the person who ordered the bracelet if I could use gold for the clasp, and they replied, “Actually, I prefer gold. I’d like the clasps on both the bracelet and the necklace to be gold.”

It was a misunderstanding, but in the end, it was absolutely the right decision.

I really like this kind of seemingly unplanned, haphazard approach.

While careful planning is important, there’s a thrilling sense of uncertainty in going with the flow.

Even Akoya oysters don’t plan their pearl production.

Pearls form naturally through the process of simply going about one’s life, without any conscious thought.

 

 

As we age, we gain various experiences and knowledge, and we can roughly anticipate things before undertaking any task.

Perhaps being able to handle things smartly is what makes us adults.

That’s important, but sometimes we want to venture into things where the outcome is uncertain.

However, since it’s a pearl necklace, even if I stray a little from the path, the police won’t call, and no children will be crying somewhere.

Even so, continuing the work without knowing what kind of necklace will result from 763 pearls is incredibly enjoyable.

It’s like wondering what kind of scenery awaits at the end of a long tunnel.

As this is one of 14 necklaces created in this way, I feel a great sense of attachment to it.

Now, let me tell you about the specific quality of this necklace.

The color is a light blue, and the luster is neither weak nor strong.

 

 

On a scale of 1 to 5, it would be around a 3 minus.

The pearls have a thin white film covering their surface.

This can occur when the Akoya oyster is unwell, resulting in a thin white film or a very thick, paint-like film covering the pearl’s surface.

Surprisingly, pearls like this exist.

While pearls with excessively thick white films cannot be sold, this level contributes to a mystical atmosphere, so I think it’s not bad.

The thread color is lavender.

While I often used blue thread, for these 14 strands selected from 760 9mm pearls, I’ve been using soft and lovely threads like lavender and mint green more often.

 

 

These lovely colored threads peek out from between the pearls, giving the often formal feel of a pearl necklace a considerably more casual look.

At Flower Jem, necklaces are basically made using all-knotting techniques.

When I worked for a pearl company, my main responsibilities were managing the pearl farm’s records and selecting pearls for harvest.

In between, I also handled wholesale and retail sales of pearls.

The company’s showroom was filled with many necklaces, and I was constantly impressed by their beauty.

There were even some stunning pearl necklaces with certificates of authenticity that made me think, “Why would I need something like that? Isn’t that rude?”

However, pearl necklaces weren’t easy to sell. Partly because the company didn’t focus much on retail, pearl necklaces were generally only purchased by people seeking them for formal occasions like weddings and funerals.

 

 

I often felt, “They’re so beautiful, but they’re incredibly impractical.”

On the other hand, blue baroque pearls offer products that even a man like me can enjoy daily, such as tie clips, cufflinks, and bracelets.

I regularly found beautiful natural blue pearls, purchased them from the company, and started making my own.

However, the beautiful white round pearl necklace remained in the same place for a long time.

She’s like a princess from some foreign land.

She has no free time, is rigidly bound by etiquette and ceremonies, and seems to be simply waiting for the appearance of a foreign prince.

Below this princess, the commoner, the natural blue baroque pearl, enjoys the town freely. She dresses freely, goes wherever she pleases.

 

 

They enjoy romance freely and get married one after another.

“No matter how beautiful a necklace is, is it just something for formal occasions like weddings and funerals? Such a formal necklace is difficult to wear every day, which is probably why it doesn’t sell.”

I started thinking this every day.

Then, while browsing Instagram at work, I found a necklace made entirely of knotted colored thread.

It was a shock, like being hit hard on the head.

That was the trigger that led me to start Flower Jem.

Therefore, all the necklaces sold at Flower Jem are made entirely of knotted thread.

 

 

I’ve introduced this part in various articles.

While writing similar articles, my expression has gradually changed. Regarding all-knot necklaces, I’ve recently been reminded of Roman Holiday.

 

 

The image of Princess Audrey Hepburn frolicking through the town and the all-knot necklace made of colorful threads seem the same to me.

Having worked for a company that owns pearl farms, I’ve come to feel a strong desire for people to enjoy pearls more regularly.

 

 

Pearls are beautiful, but the environment in which they are cultivated is harsh.

They work on rafts exposed to the elements, under the scorching sun or freezing cold of the open sea.

Working in the rain during the rainy season is also difficult. It’s hot, and raincoats cling to your body.

Because pearls are cultivated in such harsh conditions, I really want more people to experience them casually.

 

 

“Pearls are only for weddings, funerals, or coming-of-age ceremonies; they’re not something you buy on a whim,” is a common sentiment among employees.

It seems there’s a paradox: the more beautiful something is, the more it seems to distance itself from everyday life.

A beautiful pearl necklace’s appeal lies in its sense of the extraordinary.

Personally, I prefer a princess I can casually meet on a Sunday to a noble princess I rarely see.

 

 

I think my shock upon seeing an all-knot necklace on Instagram stemmed from these thoughts.

And importantly, a major reason is simply my lack of knowledge; I simply didn’t know about the existence of all-knot necklaces before.

Looking around Etsy, there are many beautiful all-knot necklaces for sale.

Perhaps I was the only one who found them unusual.

Nevertheless, I feel fortunate that my encounter with all-knot necklaces led to the creation of Flower Jem.

 

 

This time, too, I created it with the same passion I felt when I first discovered all-knot necklaces, battling the tangled threads along the way.

It has a slightly understated luster, but its charm lies in its gentle warmth, like a soft bed for a Sunday afternoon nap, as if gently telling you, “It’s okay not to try too hard.”

It’s a very gentle pearl necklace, like the time when a gentle breeze rustles the curtains through a slightly open window.

 

Well, this product description has become quite long.

It has a slightly understated sheen, but I think it’s an elegant necklace.

I would be happy if you would also take a look at my other 9mm necklaces.

Pearl Bless You