A golden pearl against a black chain.

Published 21 October 2026 · WHV · Public-source editorial note

A pearl need not sit in a continuous pale strand. Mikimoto’s new PASSIONOIR pieces set golden pearls against dark chains, making the relationship between a rounded, luminous surface and repeated metal links the main event. The jewellery gives a familiar material another visual vocabulary.

The setting changes the reading

Announced on 14 October 2026 for release the following day, the additions use golden white-lipped oyster pearls and silver with the company’s Japanned Noir finish. The maker identifies that finish as black rhodium treatment. The darkness is therefore not evidence of solid black gold, nor should the word Japanned be taken here as proof of a traditional Japanese lacquer coating.

The wider collection began in 2021. This is a specific new material contrast within an existing design direction, not the invention of pearl jewellery in 2026. A single pearl, its scale and the movement of the chain can change how a piece sits against clothing. That can be worth understanding regardless of the wearer’s gender or familiarity with conventional pearl styling.

Ask about the finish as well as the pearl

Handle the actual reference and ask how the surface should be cleaned and serviced. Examine the pearl, clasp and links rather than transferring a general reputation to every individual object. What holds value can be a well-resolved composition that finds a real place in someone’s daily dress. The price of the metals alone cannot explain the design, and the design cannot by itself establish a future resale result.

Source and context.

Mikimoto: October 2026 golden-pearl PASSIONOIR additions and materials ↗

Mikimoto: the original PASSIONOIR collection introduced in 2021 ↗

The image identifies a golden-pearl necklace from the October 2026 release. Listed materials and launch information are the maker’s, not an individual gem report, coating-life test or authenticated sale assessment by WHV.

Source checked 21 October 2026. WHV interpretation is distinct from the source’s account.