Japan pearl prices surge as men too don the precious beads

Jan 22, 2022 | News On Japan

Jan 22, 2022 (Nikkei) - While it has been said that pearls are the queen of gems and the gem of queens, the latest fashion trends in Japan are showing the precious jewels are also fit for kings.

"I started wearing a pearl necklace after I saw an artist overseas doing it," said a man in his 20s that lives in Tokyo.

He's not alone according to luxury department store operator Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings. "Demand for pearls is growing in particular among men in their 20s and 30s," a spokesperson said.

The company has set up a new page showcasing gender-neutral jewelry at its ACCErium online shopping platform to woo more men.

Leading jewelers are also ramping up marketing to male pearl fans, who have become known in Japanese pop culture as "pearl boys." Mikimoto, which sells world-renowned Akoya pearls, collaborated with fashion brand Comme des Garcons to launch a gender-neutral jewelry collection called Pasisonnoir in September 2021.

One of the bestselling items in the collection is an ear cuff priced at 27,500 yen ($240) -- a relatively affordable price tag for Mikimoto.

"About 30% of customers who have purchased, or are considering purchasing items, from the Passionnoir collection are men," a Mikimoto representative said.

"Pearl jewelry has traditionally been seen as formal and feminine," the representative said. "This has been a great opportunity to highlight the appeal of pearls as a fashion accessory."

Pearls traded for roughly 850,000 yen per kilogram in 2019, according to survey data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The figure is approximately 5% higher than the previous year.

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