The Shape of Holding: Baroque Pearls and Imperfect Metalwork

In the past few weeks, I’ve been immersed in metal engraving.

Before that, I was busy making a number of necklaces and bracelets using the All-knot technique.

During that process, I would occasionally come across pearls that were difficult to use—those that were either too irregular for earrings or necklaces, or too unique despite being high-quality. These are what I call “difficult pearls.”

For those pearls, I’ve started creating custom metal settings by hand through engraving—hoping to craft a place where they can shine.

I launched a YouTube channel so that customers could examine the quality of my pearls. Recently, I also run the channel as a way to promote Flower Jem.

Among all the videos, the one with the highest view count features my dog, Lulu. The next most viewed video is the one showing the process of engraving.

Judging from the view count, it seems more people are interested in engraving than in the pearls themselves. These numbers have made me more conscious of my work in engraving.

That said, I’m still very much a beginner in the craft.

To improve my designs, I’ve been asking a female friend—who loves wearing pendants—to give me frank feedback on the ones I make. I myself don’t usually wear pendants.

Hearing opinions from someone who regularly wears them is refreshing, and has made me realize how little I actually know about pendants.

For now, I plan to keep crafting pieces in my “Hold” series.

The theme of this series is “a leaf embracing a pearl.”

Pearls are nurtured by Akoya oysters. Akoya oysters are nurtured by the sea. The sea, in turn, is nourished by nutrients that flow in from the mountains with the rain. And that rain is first caught by the leaves.

I shaped this natural flow into the form of a leaf.

It’s a story you’ve probably heard before.

But that’s because it’s true.

At real Akoya pearl farms, the ocean near rivers is often rich in nutrients. When it rains, the oysters become more active.

Life in nature exists in mutual support.

Perhaps, in the long run, even pearls are helped along by the leaves.

I also want to express the feeling of a mother cradling her child in this “Hold” series.

I think all people—at some point—long to be embraced by someone.

I always feel that way.

Just like how red bean paste is wrapped in a bun—I want to be the filling.

That sentiment is carved into each metal fitting I create.

I don’t remember it anymore, but I’m sure I too was once held in my mother’s arms as a child.

Thinking about that fills my heart and nearly brings me to tears.

Now, I don’t wish to be held by my elderly mother—not at all. She’d probably laugh and say, “That’s gross!”

But still, why did I feel tears welling up?

Was I moved by the preciousness of a mother’s love for her child, long ago?

I don’t think I have such a pure heart.

I’m not unhappy now. My mother is still in good health. I see her every two months.

So I can’t explain the reason for my tears.

These are the thoughts that occasionally cross my mind as I carve my settings.

Since I’m not a professional, the shapes I create are a little rough around the edges. But I feel that this imperfect form harmonizes well with baroque pearls.

Most people desire perfectly round pearls.

Most people want beautifully shaped settings.

But I’m drawn to the irregular beauty of baroque pearls.

Naturally, the settings I create also take on a slightly unstable, imperfect form.

I think it’s a good balance—if I do say so myself.

This week, my weekday job—unrelated to pearls—was especially busy and exhausting.

It was inventory week, as it’s the end of the month.

I’m terrible with numbers, so it was a real struggle.

In Japan, we’re heading into a long holiday from the end of April through the first week of May.

I’ll be off starting tomorrow for about a week.

That’s why I came back to Kobe tonight, Thursday, from Osaka.

I’m extremely sleepy, but still, I sat down at my bench for about an hour to work on a new pendant setting.

The process of engraving, where the metal sometimes obeys and sometimes resists, is a lot of fun.

When the clock hit midnight, I figured it was time to go to bed—but I realized I hadn’t updated the articles on this site lately. So here I am, writing a little before I sleep.

It seems that over the past six months, the number of visitors to this site has been steadily increasing.

Up until now, I’ve updated articles here quite randomly.

Moving forward, I’d like to create better navigation so that visitors can find and read multiple articles that interest them.

Right now, everything is a bit scattered.

It may feel very unorganized to visitors—like a town built by amateurs, with intersections that have no traffic lights.

In this fast-paced world, Flower Jem continues to grow slowly and gently.

Imperfect pearls, imperfect engraving, and an imperfect website.

I will keep improving each of them, little by little.

And I truly enjoy this journey.

Pearls will never become perfectly round, but my engraving and my website will surely evolve.

Thank you for reading.

I’m truly grateful.

Thanks to you, these words are no longer just my monologue.