From the oyster to Marilyn, a history of pearls

The recent launch in Siam Paragon’s Hall of Mirrors included a lovely exhibition of masterworks created by the brand founded by Kokichi Mikimoto.
“My dream is to adorn the necks of all women around the world with pearls,” the so-called “king of pearls” one said. He set about doing that by producing an unparalleled range of accessories made with the purest pearl and exuding femininity. 
The brand says it chooses only the best 10 per cent of harvested pearls to create its accessories.
“The Pearl Necklace”, produced in collaboration with publishing house Assouline, recounts the history of jewellery as well as the evolution of fashion over the sensations. Renaissance queens, maharajas and the stars of Hollywood’s golden era all made the pearl necklace part of their wardrobe, a symbol of status and an emblem of tradition. 
Pearl accessories are seen as the quintessential heirloom, an opportunity for reinvention, endlessly adaptable as an expression of changing ideals of womanhood and woman’s place in the world. 
The book features an introduction by award-winning journalist and jewellery historian Vivienne Becker that reminds readers why the pearl necklace has for so long been an object of fascination and fantasy
Among the amazing creations covered in the book is the Pearl Stream, an elegant dress of Akoya pearls and diamonds, and the single-strand “Marilyn Monroe” pearl choker that the screen goddess received from Joe DiMaggio when they honeymooned in Japan in 1954. 
The Monroe choker boasts 39 Akoya pearls gradually increasing in diameter from 8.5 to 10mm. Mikimoto purchased it in 1998, long after the actress had died.
Find out more about the book at (02) 129 4444.