Mikimoto Jeux de Rubans — Pearls in Sculptural Ribbon Form
Mikimoto Jeux de Rubans — Pearls in Sculptural Ribbon Form
The high-jewellery collection that brought Mikimoto into the contemporary couture-jewel idiom
Jeux de Rubans (French for play of ribbons) is a Mikimoto high-jewellery collection introduced in the late twentieth century and developed across multiple subsequent iterations, defined by ribbon motifs executed in diamond, coloured stones, and pearls and mounted in platinum or white gold. The collection represents the firm's most successful sustained move beyond classic Akoya strands and into the contemporary high-jewellery vocabulary in which European houses such as Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Chaumet have historically dominated.
The ribbon as motif
The ribbon motif has a long history in European high jewellery, recurring in the Belle Époque garland style of the early twentieth century, in Mid-Century Italian couture-jewel work, and in later Cartier and Boucheron pieces. The Jeux de Rubans interpretation differs from these European antecedents in two ways. First, it integrates pearls — particularly South Sea and Akoya pearls, less frequently Tahitian — as principal elements within the ribbon composition rather than as added accents. Second, it works the ribbon in three dimensions, with metal forms that twist, fold, and curve through the wearable space rather than presenting as flat or near-flat ornament against the body.
Composition and craftsmanship
The mounts are platinum or white gold, set with pavé diamonds along ribbon edges and across surfaces, with larger diamond accents at points of visual emphasis. South Sea pearls in white, gold, or silver tones are arranged along the ribbon paths or at terminal points; Akoya pearls appear in graduated arrangements where smaller stones are required. Some pieces incorporate coloured stones — sapphires, rubies, or coloured diamonds — for accent. The technical work in the metal mounts is among the most demanding in the firm's range: the ribbon forms require precise three-dimensional fabrication, the pavé settings must follow the curves smoothly without visible interruption, and the pearl seats must be sized exactly to the matched stones being mounted.
Range and pricing
The collection covers the full range of high-jewellery formats — brooches, earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets — with retail pricing extending from the upper four figures for simpler pieces with smaller stones into the seven figures for major commissions with significant South Sea pearls and large diamonds. The pieces are sold through Mikimoto's flagship boutiques and high-jewellery sales channels rather than through general retail; they are not part of the firm's classic Akoya range.
Position in the firm's line
Jeux de Rubans serves a strategic purpose for Mikimoto beyond the individual pieces: it signals that the firm operates in the contemporary high-jewellery space and not solely in the heritage cultured-pearl strand market. The collection extends the brand's relevance to a customer base that wants pearl jewellery without the traditional restraint of the firm's classic vocabulary, and it provides a continuing programme of new high-jewellery work to refresh the brand's editorial and exhibition presence year on year.