Where to Buy a Pearl in Tokyo?

April 11, 2009 5:46 AM

One perfect white or black pearl in Tokyo?

I am going to Japan tonight. *waves to gomichild* I return in a week's time, just in time for my mother's birthday.

I would like to buy a perfect white or black pearl from Japan (probably Tokyo) for her. Does anyone know any reliable shops in Tokyo that specialises in pearls? Shops like Mikimoto or Tokyo Pearl are more or less what I'm looking for.

My budget is tight, so I can't afford a Hanadama pearl necklace costing 5 figures. If I can get a round, relatively flawless pearl for under $2000, that would be ideal.

posted by Alnedra to Shopping (4 answers total)

Best answer: Too bad you didn't ask this question before I moved house a few years ago. Pasted on the wall in my old place, I had an advertisement for a pearl shop in Tokyo that I had clipped from the Japan Times. They were proud of how many years they had been in business:

"Casting pearls before our customers since ...."

Classic.

These guys have a good reputation. (And I'm sure it wasn't their company running that ad ...)
posted by woodblock100 at 5:59 AM on April 12, 2009

Response by poster: Thanks! I saw this online, but wasn't sure if they were good. I'll go check it out.
posted by Alnedra at 11:19 PM on April 12, 2009

Response by poster: I didn't go to Jane's Pearls in the end, due to time constraints. I wound up at Tokyo Pearl instead, and they were very patient and nice. Pretty hefty discounts were offered as well. They're a little hard to find, as the shop faces a small alley, but I bought some loose Akoya pearls and a black South Sea pearl which I was very happy with.
posted by Alnedra at 7:18 PM on May 11, 2009

Response by poster: Apologies. Tokyo Pearl.
posted by Alnedra at 7:20 PM on May 11, 2009