[suzannelowrie]

I made a pilgrimage to Mikimoto's Island and to his store in Toyko just to see the Pearls in Motion featured on Mikimoto's website. I am a true pearl tourist. Show me a beautiful strand and I start searching the internet for cheap flights. So I went to Japan. Oops. My enthusiasm wilted. However, the trip was not in vain. Mikimoto had some stunning necklaces that only by seeing them and holding them could I become as overjoyed and as enthusiastic as I was when I first saw the ad on his website for Pearls in Motion. "Well, what strands?" you ask. I liked the graduated strands that were both graduated in size and in color. For example, true pink at the center fading to white at the clasp. True gold at the center fading to creamy golden at the clasp. What made the strands remarkable was the perfect color gradation. Freshwater, saltwater- all pearls can be strung in this way. Hmmm, I thought. Maybe I can't photograph the color change. Maybe that won't be compelling on the internet. Maybe they are an impossible dream. Take my word for it. Perfectly executed, the strands are just stunning.