Interview: Talking Pearls with Michael Hakimian, CEO of Yoko London
What is it about the pearl that gives it such enduring appeal? Pearls have a timeless elegance that will always appeal to women of all ages. They are the gemstone of choice for iconic women in each generation and evoke feelings of luxury and style. The ability to wear pearls with both day and evening looks also gives them a versatile quality.
What makes YOKO LONDON recognized worldwide? We use the finest quality pearls and gemstones in innovative, unique designs. Our ability to constantly reinvent the way pearls can be worn, whilst maintaining excellent craftsmanship and quality means that our designs have gained worldwide recognition. We are constantly creating, with hundreds of new pieces produced yearly. In addition to this, being a third generation, family run brand we take a very personal and tailored approach with every client.
Where do your pearls come from? And how do you ensure the use of the finest pearls in YOKO LONDON jewellery? Each type of pearl is native to a different part of the world. We source our pearls from Australia, Indonesia, Tahiti, Japan and China, selecting the finest quality available. We work exclusively with thirteen pearl farms around the globe and we are offered first refusal on each harvest. Our partners at these farms are aware we are looking for top quality pearls and have a special interest in unusual natural colours and exceptionally large sizes.
What should customers look for when buying a piece of pearl jewellery? The key thing to look for when buying pearl jewellery is lustre, which refers to how reflective a pearl is. A pearl should look as though it is lit from within; the better the shine and reflection, the higher quality the pearl. All of the pearls featured in Yoko London jewellery are hand selected by pearl experts in our London workshop for their excellent lustre. The most important thing however is that you should buy what you are instantly drawn to and what feels good to wear.
YOKO LONDON is not only about pearls but also jewellery designs and trends, what inspires you? We are inspired by the modern woman. She is independent, she knows her own style and wants to look good whether she is in the office, or attending a black-tie event – above all she is looking for jewellery that is as unique as she is. This is our main source of inspiration.
How do you manage to keep your designs luxurious while also being very wearable? All of our jewellery is created with the wearer in mind. We use flexible 18k gold settings that mould to the contours of the body, meaning even our largest masterpieces are comfortable to wear.
One of our most popular collections is our fashion forward, everyday Trend Collection which uses smaller, high quality Freshwater pearls with diamonds. The use of smaller pearls means the collection is light to wear, and can easily worn from day to night, whilst still looking glamorous.
How is YOKO LONDON reinventing pearl jewellery for a modern audience? We have some remarkable, contemporary designs as part of our Trend, Starlight and Novus collections. Our designers work year-round in our London atelier to create unique, modern designs, that are affordable, comfortable to wear and look striking.
Where is YOKO LONDON jewellery sold in the Middle East? How do you describe the market there? We are sold through a number of different outlets in the Middle East, and our products are available to buy through our website.
Do you make ‘Special Orders’ for clients in the region? (if yes) kindly tell us more. Yes, we often work on bespoke commissions for clients whether it is designing a piece from scratch or making adjustments to existing pieces. We work closely with the customer to turn their vision into a reality. Our designers and our workshop are all based in our London atelier, which means we can be incredibly responsive to what a client is looking for.
What percentage of sales do ‘Special Orders’ constitute? I would say approximately 10%. We have an incredibly wide variety of different designs, ranging from the classic to the contemporary, meaning that clients can usually find what they are looking for in our current collections.
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