The Jewellery We Choose When No One Is Watching
My First Diamond
What kind of earrings do you wear every day?
For me, the answer is simple: a pair of small diamond stud earrings. As a fine jewellery designer, people sometimes assume I must own impressive diamonds. Perhaps a one-carat pair reserved for daily wear. The truth is far more modest. The diamonds I wear most often are only 0.05 carats each. The setting is equally unremarkable by today’s standards. A simple square design that was common nearly twenty years ago when I first made them. Modern diamond studs often feature larger stones, delicate settings that make the diamond appear to float, and a brilliance that catches the eye immediately. Sometimes, when I see them, I think to myself: Perhaps it’s time for an upgrade. And yet, every morning, I reach for the same pair.A Small Diamond and a Much Younger Version of Myself
When these earrings were made, I was an apprentice model maker in a jewellery workshop. I loved the craft, but life was far from luxurious. Most of my energy went into building a future and simply making ends meet. Buying jewellery for myself felt extravagant. Then an opportunity arose. I was returning to Japan for a short visit and had been invited to a close friend’s wedding. I wanted to celebrate her properly. I wanted to feel confident standing beside her on such an important day. So I did something I had never done before. I bought my first diamonds. Just 0.05 carats. My husband happened to have an empty setting, and together we transformed those tiny stones into a pair of earrings. Looking back now, there was nothing particularly extraordinary about them. But at the time, I remember how excited I felt wearing them. They were my first diamonds. And perhaps more importantly, they represented something I had chosen for myself.The Meaningful Jewellery for Myself
Many people associate jewellery with special occasions.
A wedding.
An anniversary.
A milestone birthday.
Those moments deserve celebration.
But some of the most meaningful pieces in our lives are chosen during much quieter moments.
The years when we are building something.
The years when no one is applauding.
The years when we are simply trying our best and hoping the future will unfold.
These earrings remind me of that version of myself.
The young woman working hard in a workshop.
The woman who could not yet imagine where life would take her.
The woman who bought a tiny diamond because it made her feel hopeful.
Designing the Jewellery I Once Wished For
Perhaps because of that experience, I have always paid attention to the details that are rarely discussed.
When creating diamond stud earrings for MIYOCO, especially larger diamonds around 0.50 carats and above, I often recommend secure screw-back fittings.
But rather than using ordinary fastenings, I wanted to create something more beautiful.
Something that would look elegant even from behind.
As I sketched ideas, I found myself drawn to the shape of an artist’s palette.
There was something meaningful about it.
A palette is never exactly the same from one artist to another. It carries traces of creativity, individuality, and the quiet process of making something personal.
Today, MIYOCO’s signature palette-shaped backs have become a small detail that many people never notice.
Yet I love knowing they are there.
Perhaps because the most meaningful details are often the ones chosen for ourselves.
The Pieces That Stay With Us
I still sometimes dream about creating a new pair of diamond studs for myself.
Perhaps with larger stones.
Perhaps with a design I would never have imagined twenty years ago.
But until then, these little earrings continue to accompany me through everyday life.
And every time I put them on, they remind me that jewellery is not only about carats, rarity, or value.
It is also about memory.
About who we were.
About who we are becoming.
And about the chapters that quietly shape our lives when no one is watching.
At MIYOCO, we believe jewellery accompanies life’s meaningful chapters.
Some pieces are chosen for beginnings.
Others for rediscovery.
All become part of the stories we carry.
Looking for a piece that will accompany your own meaningful chapter?
Some stories become collections.
Others remain personal and are created only upon request.
