Mikimoto Akoya Pearl & Mother of Pearl Tuxedo Stud Pins – 1940s – Sterling Silver – Vintage – Estate

Mikimoto Akoya Pearl & Mother of Pearl Tuxedo Stud Pins – 1940s – Sterling Silver – Vintage – Estate

Guys, if you're looking for the perfect way to step up your style, these are it. Straight from Mikimoto's vintage collection, these striking tuxedo studs are in amazing condition. Often mistaken for cufflinks, tuxedo studs are designed to take place of your buttons on your collared shirt, making you look like a "stud" in seconds *wink, wink*… okay, okay… back to the point…
Here you can watch a quick 40 second video on how easy it is to put them on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG3UFYRB3oM

The beginning story of Mikimoto:
Kokichi Mikimoto devoted his life to pearls and in 1983 he made history when he created the world's first cultured pearl. It was a remarkable step for the industry and it caught the attention of the world. Even Thomas Edison, the famous inventor, was amazed that Kokichi had been able to create something that was thought to be impossible and wrote to him regarding his accomplishment. How cool is that!?

The quality of the pearls:
Pearls, in general, can take on a lot of stress during their time of creation inside of the oyster. If the waters are rough, the pearl will take on a "baroque" shape due to its movement while the nacre is being formed. The rougher the waves, the more oblong and imperfect the pearl will be. So in order to obtain a pearl that is perfectly round, the water has to be perfectly smooth… only something that naturally happens at the bottom of a deep ocean. Professional divers dive to depths of 30 feet in order to find oysters that have been perfectly still. Even then, less than 10% of the pearls harvested meet the strict standards that were set by Mikimoto, himself. Once a pearl does meet the criteria, it will then be graded for its luster, nacre thickness, shape, size, and color. In order to make a complete strand, each pearl has to match in all categories. So you can see why a strand of Mikimoto pearls are such an investment… each pearl has been perfectly selected out of the less than 10% and then matched with an average of 52 other perfectly selected pearls, in order to make just one strand.

The legend:
Even though the world lost its beloved Kōkichi Mikimoto in 1954, his legacy still lives on. Marylin Monroe was gifted a strand on her honeymoon that is now being showcased at the brand’s Fifth Avenue store in New York, proving that pearls are also a girls best friend. But don't let that stray you from adding these vintage beauties to your collection because even men respect and appreciate the rarity of a Mikimoto pearl. Designer, Marc Jacobs, wears Mikimoto almost every day.

While a nice watch can set the tone of modern style, a Mikimoto piece adds sophistication, intelligence, and integrity to the mix. These particular studs not only feature two of the rare and exclusive Mikimoto pearls but also a stunning mother-of-pearl background to add a light grayish-white shimmer when the light hits it. Mother of pearl is also nacre that is sometimes produced as an inner shell layer and is named for the belief that the mother nacre shields and bears the pearl. These studs are set in sterling silver with an Art Deco style octagon shape, milgrain (silver bead work along the inner edge), an engraved border.

One more cool thing to note, not that you need anymore, these are from a collection in the 1940s that typically had a round design instead of the octagon. Making the octagon shape a little harder to find.

Designer: Mikimoto, stamped with his trademark
Gemstones: Two white 3.8 mm Akoya pearls and two mother of pearl shells
Metal: Sterling silver, stamped "STERLING"
Dimensions: 1" long bar; 8.4 mm octagon setting