Imperial Family of Japan Jewellery 1: Ending 2023

[Stefan]

May 1975 UK state visit to Japan



Empress Kojun (Nagako)
View attachment 303000

That is a serious diamond necklace on the Empress. Has it been seen on other occasions?

 

[Prisma]

That is a serious diamond necklace on the Empress. Has it been seen on other occasions?

I don't know but maybe we just haven't seen photos yet...

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Japanese twitter found Princesses Akiko and Aiko wearing the same Mikimoto brooch, rotated differently. Either they're sharing or they each have the same/similar piece.

Princess Akiko wore the brooch for an interview with Asahi, later published in March:
https://www.asahicom.jp/imgopt/img/a81ea0ab96/comm/AS20220308001556.jpg

Princess Aiko wore the brooch when sending off her parents to the UK in September:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/image...b7ec57654feaae50761eafbf37c4ee437e164e418.jpg

https://www.mikimoto.com/jp_jp/pb-1323u

248,600 Yen (tax included) -> $1687 USD

https://twitter.com/x/status/1587289139069693952

https://twitter.com/x/status/1587817967709921280

 

[kimebear]

I was more than a bit aggrieved when Aiko wasn't presented with her own parure last year as the only daughter of a sitting emperor. Especially since the one she did use is the personal property of Sayako and not part of the "imperial vault" so to speak, so not truly hers, even for the limited duration of her time as an imperial princess.

Mikimoto has made this pretty floral tiara that could be lovely for Aiko if only the IHA would open up the purse and spring for it. Some of the flowers are en tremblant and really quite stunning.


https://www.mikimoto-jf.co.jp/gallary/tiara/

 

[Ista]

It's a beautiful tiara, but quite substantial in size, so even there were a plan to buy Aiko her own parure, I'd be surprised to see this one.

I agree that Aiko needs her own parure, and I'm wondering what the plan is for her to have one. While I understand that the timing last year might have been a consideration (Covid, economy, etc) it seems disrespectful for literally every other female member of the Imperial family to have the use of her own parure, and the daughter of the current emperor to have to borrow one.

 

[kimebear]

It is rather sizeable, that's true.

I just hate that Aiko didn't get a tiara of her own. While the current climate was certainly a factor, I tend to see the lack of a purchase of a parure for her as really more of a snub from the IHA for her not being the son they wanted for the heir. A subtle way of pointing out that she's a disappointment.

Overall, the Japanese culture is nothing if not traditional, and procuring a parure for an imperial princess' 20th birthday is a tradition. I doubt there would have been a huge outcry if Aiko made her first official appearance in a parure of her own.

 

[Blog Real]

Princess Aiko still doesn't have her own tiara?

 

[kimebear]

Princess Aiko still doesn't have her own tiara?

Not that we've seen so far. That may change at New Year's, but considering the poor state of the global financial situation it's unlikely that the IHA will shell out for a new parure for her as being an unseemly and unnecessary expense in a time of economic turmoil.

Seems to me that it wouldn't be terribly expensive to take one of the parures of a princess that has exited royal life and rework it into something nice for the Emperor's daughter, but she apparently doesn't rate high enough in their eyes for the consideration.

 

[Prisma]

Perhaps Aiko's tiara will be in the FY2024 budget request. There's no immediate need for a tiara since Japan is very slowly reopening from the pandemic and no state visits from other monarchies on the horizon (or any state visits). Tiaras probably will not be worn for the 2023 New Year Receptions.

Reworking still takes money. Design, dismantling existing tiara, reworking frame or create new frame, are there enough gems for new design?, fitting, etc. Also, the recent tiaras have been created through a bidding system.

Funds for Aiko's tiara were not included in the FY2023 budget request the IHA submitted in August. A senior official cited Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's consideration for the people’s difficulties amid the pandemic.

Source: https://txbiz.tv-tokyo.co.jp/txn/news_txn/post_256506

 

[Ista]

All of that makes sense, but I think if the failure to provide for a new tiara goes on much longer it's going to look awkward. Kiko is the daughter of the Emperor, and if Kako and Mako could be provided with appropriate tiaras, Aiko having to borrow her aunt's tiara begins to look more like a pointed message, rather than simply being frugal.

 

[kimebear]

Reworking still takes money. Design, dismantling existing tiara, reworking frame or create new frame, are there enough gems for new design?, fitting, etc. Also, the recent tiaras have been created through a bidding system.

Even if they just used the gems from Mako's and Ayako's parures there would be more than enough for a new set for Aiko. The gems are the expensive part after all, not the metal or design.

Any jeweler in NYC's Diamond District for instance could whip up a design and reset the stones easily enough at a reasonable price. I had a set custom made for my wedding and it only took about four months and I didn't have the budget of a royal house to pay for it.

I don't see why a major design house like Mikimoto couldn't do the same for the Imperial family. Especially since the modern designs that seem to be popular with the IHA are not necessarily ornate.

Aiko having to borrow her aunt's tiara begins to look more like a pointed message, rather than simply being frugal.

Exactly!

 

[Tilia C.]

All of that makes sense, but I think if the failure to provide for a new tiara goes on much longer it's going to look awkward. Kiko is the daughter of the Emperor, and if Kako and Mako could be provided with appropriate tiaras, Aiko having to borrow her aunt's tiara begins to look more like a pointed message, rather than simply being frugal.

To me, it looked 'more message than frugal' right from the beginning. Now that the message had time to sink in, it's time to find a long-term jewels solution for the Emperor's daughter and highest ranking Princess of Japan. I'm glad to hear that they are finally thinking about requesting a budget for Aiko's tiara.

 

[Prisma]

Quarterly magazine "Imperial family" No. 97 includes details from an exhibition about Prince Mikasa held last autumn at Gakushuin University Archives.

Empress Teimei requested jewelry for Prince Mikasa's bride Yuriko Takagi in 1941. Many pieces were donated or destroyed during the war. However, some pieces were saved such as the pearl necklace Princess Yuriko later gifted to Princess Akiko on her 18th birthday.

Due to the war, Princess Yuriko did not wear a tiara for the Choken no Gi (ceremony of audience) after the traditional wedding. Instead, she wore a pearl ornament that doubles as a bracelet, devised by Empress Teimei.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FwKEFjsaUAAB5KK.jpg

https://twitter.com/x/status/1658032898489061377

 

[MarieAmelie_95]

Former Princess Masako of Mikasa during the "Choken-no-Gi" greeting ceremony on October 14th, 1983, the last ceremony she would perform as a Princess before her marriage, which would make her a commoner. Greetings are addressed to Emperor Hirohito (Shōwa) and Empress Nagako (Kōjun).

That day the Princess was wearing a tiara, which can be seen, although the quality of the photo is not optimal:



(cropped)
http://easthall.blog.jp/archives/16126858.html

Who do you think the tiara she's wearing belongs to? It doesn't look like the tiara she wore during ceremonies at the Imperial Palace. Maybe it's her personal tiara? Maybe it's a borrowed tiara from her mother Princess Mikasa (Yuriko)?

1st option: Princess Mikasa's Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara (Princess Mikasa's main tiara)
2nd option: Princess Mikasa's Pearl Drop Tiara (also worn by Princess Yasuko)
3th option: An unknown tiara (discovered by Prisma on Twitter)

 

[Stefan]

It's time to close this thread. You will find a new one here.