- Joined
- Feb 8, 2018
- Messages
- 425
THANK YOU for posting this @lmyracle and the information @pearlsngems .
Back in the 1980s, I saw an 18" strand of "Mikimoto" pearls at Marshalls (the off-price department store). They were very inexpensive...around $300 (my now husband worked at the headquarters so got a discount). Recognizing the brand, but knowing nothing else (before the Internet), I was excited at their affordability so he bought them for me as a total impulse buy.
I loved them so much that a couple of years later, when in Hong Kong on business, I bought a strand of loose matching akoyas that I had strung into varying length necklaces to have different lengths or layer. I wore them for years.
I go in phases with my jewelry and so they eventually sat in a box for decades. About 10 years ago, I took them back out and had them all restrung thinking they deserved some love. Realizing that true Mikimoto's wouldn't be sold at Marshalls, I looked at the markings. While I saw the clasp was 14kt, Mikimoto markings were missing on the original strand and while the pearls were nice, I realized they weren't the quality one expected of Mikimoto.
Until I saw this post, I assumed they were some knock off brand named to confuse or I imagined the whole Mikimoto thing .
Recognizing the clasp in the picture, I just looked amd sure enough, there is the BL marking next to 585! Mystery solved and while they are commoditized, I got my money's worth in enjoyment and feel better knowing my mind wasn't playing games![]()
that's a really awsome gift
have you been wearing them ?
Not yet. I just got them but plan on wearing them.