RIGHT THEN, Mikimoto. #JewelWatch

For the new folk around here, they are a Japanese firm that literally invented/created the cultured pearl, are the official jeweler of the Imperial family, and have possibly the best design in the world.

They sell piles of exquisitely matched pearl necklaces, but they get bored and do 'high jewelry' which is always spectacular.

They recently did a series of brooches that many of us around here would kill for, and I hope they gift one to QE 'cause she'd wear it.

The term to remember is 'balanced asymmetry', if you happen to not hear one of us scream it for a minute or two.

There are several I would sell hub's soul for, and this is one of them.

One of my all-time favorite pieces, I think they do this stuff to make sure everyone remembers they can do things other than pearls.

But they can mix different colors of pearls better than anyone else.

Detail from a necklace they did a few years ago.

Oop, here we go.

But their brooches... they are each a tiny work of art as well as craftsmanship.

Even their excess is tasteful.

Trying to find a good photo of another of their brooches I'd kill for, but closeup on a half-pearl, half-diamond necklace. You can see the skill and attention to detail.

Their jewelry lines intended for people who have jobs to pay for stuff, are also really well done.

Remember the tanzanite fish necklace?

Here's both excess AND balanced asymmetry.

I'd sacrifice a senator to Ba'al for this one.

The stylized cherry blossom is kind of their trademark; Cartier has tacky AF panthers, Mikimoto has a lovely tasteful flower.

A pendant from that under the sea collection.

They also do insane full-body things, I wonder how well those sell, and who buys them.

How to handle irregular pearls.

And the Hello Kitty tiara, because by the gods, this is a day we need a Hello Kitty tiara.

The strawberries open like lockets.

One of my favorites, of their brooches.

And they made a tasteful Hello Kitty brooch. Because of course they did.

Micro-mosaic for pearl settings. Brilliant.

Look at how small the join is between the jewels and the pearls.

Absolutely insane, but y'all will like it.

That's a conch pearl.

Butterflies! And a rock!

Wait, closeup.

One of the all-time faves around her, I WILL FIGHT YOU FOR IT!

Or a lace collar, perhaps? I think this went down a red carpet in the last couple years....

-inappropriate sex noises-

And the earrings, OMFG.

I believe this is the closeup of a pendant, from a necklace. Would make one hell of a brooch, though.

I tried to check on the cost of one of these rings last summer. They never called back. LOL

They really need to tell DeBeers how to deal with irregular gemstones.

Another collar.

Oooh, fuck yeah, there we go.

I'm not even a fan of minimalism.

Coral? Tree branch?

OPAL.

-happy sigh-

And a tiara.

Another one of their conspicuous consumption pieces.

Another irregular pearl in exquisite workmanship.

A suite of jewels aimed at the less insanely rich markets.

Another of their brooches.

Earrings from the Hello Kitty collection. I love these.

Necklace. Really clever way to deal with a bunch of pearls that don't match closely.

OH MY GOD. I think this is one of their new ones.

I don't know how they do stuff like this, and it doesn't look tacky. Even when you don't like it, it's still good.

The flower is detachable and can be worn as a brooch.

Better shot of that one necklace.

And I know a lot of you have screamed over this one before.

Aquamarine? Probably?

From a Japanese web site, but reasonably sure it's Mikimoto... I mean, look at it. All the pearls match. (Black pearls are a bitch to match up.)