In the prestigious Singapore fashion and lifestyle magazine NUYOU, Maiko shares her story of how she came to Singapore, took over the family business from her father and started Pearl FALCO in Singapore. Maiko greatly enjoyed her experience at Singapore Press Holdings Studio for this photo shoot and interview, which provided her make-up and clothes – though Maiko tends to be shy and not all that comfortable in front of a camera. Maiko is grateful for the opportunity to share these stories in NUYOU and the beauty of pearls with the world.
–—— English Translation of the Original Chinese Language Article ——-
You may not be familiar with Ise Shima Japan, located in the central part of Honshu, Japan? You may more likely be familiar with famous Akoya pearls from Japan, however? Due to Ise Shima’s unique ecosystem, Ise Shima is famous for producing Akoya pearls (another well-known brand MIKIMOTO was also born there), and it is known as “the hometown of pearls.” Ise Shima is not only the home of pearl cultivation in Japan, but it is also the first place in the world to cultivate pearls sustainably. It also happens to be the birthplace of Maiko Makito and the family brand of Pearl FALCO.
Maiko moved to Singapore in 2005. After graduating from Keio University, Maiko worked for NEC Corporation and was transferred to Singapore for her new assignment. Maiko’s original plan was to only work locally for four or five years, but then she met her true love and got married here. Her husband is half Japanese and half Indian (known through his Japanese mother), and they now have a daughter and a son. Because of his family, Maiko stayed in Singapore and worked at NEC until 2016, when Maiko took the helm of Pearl FALCO, and was responsible for the brand business in Singapore and new markets outside of Japan.
Maiko’s first visit to Asia was in 1995. While still studying at university, Maiko backpacked throughout Eurasia 3 months out of every year. As an example of one of these extensive journeys, Maiko departed Japan from Osaka by ship to Shanghai, then made her way across China, then passed through Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and then entered Singapore. Maiko then traveled to Myanmar, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and other countries. Travelling by train, bus, truck and inexpensive flight from Europe to Asia, Maiko finally returned to Tokyo Japan.
Some of Maiko’s other trips were via the famous “Silk Road” or Siberia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia, China and beyond. Without smartphones or the internet we recognize today, Maiko relied on maps and body language to communicate with people in different regions. Talk about adventurous!
Even after having children, Maiko’s enthusiasm for backpacking in Eurasia did not diminish, and it was in the Himalayas where Maiko conceived of and ultimately founded the “Pearl of Hope” project, a means by which Pearl FALCO raises tuition assistance funds for underserved children throughout Asia. Just as Maiko was blessed in being able to attend school and advance her dreams, Maiko hopes to help support this same opportunity to children throughout Asia.
Of course, time for travel to Eurasia had to be curtailed after Maiko became a mother. Only when the children were studying in Japan during the holidays, Maiko could take 10 days off for herself. Maiko shared the experience of traveling in Asia in her early years, which planted the “seed” in her heart to work and live abroad.
I asked Maiko if her decision to take over the family business was out of enthusiasm or out of a sense of familial responsibility? Maiko said that at first it was indeed due to a sense of responsibility, especially since her sister was a doctor and was unable to abandon her profession. If Maiko had been unwilling to take over from her elderly parents, there may have been no choice but to end the pearl business her parents had spent decades building. While hesitant at first, Maiko ultimately decided to inherit, reorganize and reform the company’s structure, and by breaking new ground in Singapore, expand Pearl FALCO beyond Japan..
As Maiko assumed the reins of Pearl FALCO, she fully appreciated how “passion alone” can only carry an entrepreneur so far. Maiko dove into studying the pearl industry and became extremely passionate about pearls. Through various jewelry exhibitions and workshop activities Maiko shares her knowledge of pearls. For example, the difference between freshwater and saltwater pearls and the unique characteristics of Japanese Akoya pearls in their many forms.
On the day of the interview, Maiko shared a great deal of pearl knowledge. We learned how at present, 97% of the world’s pearl output are freshwater pearls, and only 3% are saltwater pearls; among the 3% saltwater pearls, only 1.5% are Akoya pearls from Japan, which illustrates their rarity. In addition to global warming and rising sea temperatures, Akoya pearl oysters are now at risk of extinction – 80% of Akoya mother oysters died due to global warming only 3 years ago.
Due to the decline in production, Akoya pearls may only become scarcer in the future. Not only that – did you know that an Akoya mother oyster can only produce one pearl in her lifetime, and only 28% of Akoya pearls produced can meet the standards for making jewelry – 23% considered “good quality” and 5% deemed “high quality?” Understandably, Maiko is eager to share her love of pearls with the world, hoping all of us collectively will begin to take on the environmental issues and appreciate the increasing rarity of Akoya pearls.
In order to promote the beauty of pearls, Maiko holds a pearl design competition every year – this year is the 4th Annual Grand Prix – providing Akoya pearls for jewelry lovers to create inspired works of art. Maiko has always been impressed with Singapore’s rich and diverse culture and international market, with most locals able to speak multiple languages. She believes that Akoya Jewelry has greater development potential here and can fan out to the rest of the world more easily from Singapore. Her Singapore location currently has only three members. All Pearl FALCO pearl jewelry is made in Ise Shima Japan by a team of local craftspeople. Pearl cultivation is a traditional manual industry, not only cultivation, but the process after the harvest is also long and difficult. Each pearl seen on the showroom floor has been touched by human hands at least 3,000 times during cleaning, processing, grading and crafting.
Maybe Now, You Find Akoya Pearls Even More Intriguing …?
Here is the URL for the Pearl FALCO website: www.pearlfalco.com and IG@pearlfalco for the latest news. In addition to workshops, there may be a chance to visit Ise Shima (via Nagoya or Osaka) to participate in a three-day experience group tour once the world has more fully recovered from Covid-19.
Quoting Maiko directly, “Pearls are born in nature, cultivated with human love and devotion, the only living gemstones in the world.”