Empress Nagako’s Pearl Sautoir

Today marks the 20th Anniversary of the death of the late Empress Kōjun of Japan, who died on this day in 2000. To mark the Anniversary of the death of an Empress for over 60 years, we are taking a look her Pearl Sautoir.

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Featuring four rows of pearls with two Art Deco diamond clasps, this Pearl Sautoir is of unknown provenance, but was quite an important piece as it was worn by Empress Nagako on her 60th Anniversary in 1984 and two years later for Emperor Hirohito’s Diamond Jubilee.

Empress Michiko wore the Pearl Sautoir only a couple of times, most notably for Emperor Akihito’s 81st Birthday in 2014, and the Sautoir is among the jewels passed on to Empress Masako last year, though we have yet to see it worn.

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3 thoughts on “Empress Nagako’s Pearl Sautoir

  1. This is a beautiful necklace, though I can see why Empress Michiko would hesitate to wear it. It’s no secret that her mother-in-law did not treat her kindly and this sautoir is very much associated with Empress Nagako. Maybe Empress Masako will wear it more often since it carries no bad memories for her. It is a very beautiful necklace and it deserves a second chance, now that it can be free of any bad associations.

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