Rose Queen and Her Royal Court Honored at Mikimoto’s

Mikimoto (America) Co., Ltd., the Originator of Cultured Pearls since 1893, hosted an elegant cocktail reception at the Mikimoto Beverly Hills store on Dec. 1 in honor of the newly crowned 2007 Rose Queen and Her Royal Court. Mary McCluggage, of La Cañada’s Flintridge Preparatory School, was crowned the 89th Rose Queen with the Official Mikimoto Crown at a Coronation Ceremony held recently at the Tournament of Roses House in Pasadena, California. Invited guests included the 2007 Rose Queen and Royal Court, their families, Tournament of Roses Board Members, Tournament of Roses VIPs and 2007 Tournament of Roses Sponsors.

Mikimoto, at this event, announced its nationwide Tournament of Roses Sweepstakes. Through December 18th, customers can register in person at any of the four Mikimoto Retail Stores (South Coast Plaza, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas and New York) to win a Grand Prize of two tickets to the 2007 Rose Bowl or a First Prize of two tickets to the 2007 Rose Parade. One Grand Prize winner and one First Prize winner will be chosen at random from each Mikimoto Retail Store on Monday, Dec. 18. No purchase is necessary to enter the contest.

Mikimoto has a long history of designing crowns for royalty and special occasions both in the United States and in Japan. The Rose Queen Crown and Royal Court Tiaras were designed by Mikimoto’s Designer Amy Kim-Araneo, Director of Design and Product Development, with the assistance of Mikimoto’s Design Team in Japan. The design theme of the Rose Queen Crown and Royal Court Tiaras features a three dimensional ribbon effect with overlapping swirls and a flow of graduated sized pearls, creating an elegant motif. There is also a heart element in the design of the Crown and Tiaras, which signifies love. The exquisite Rose Queen Crown is valued at $100,000 and features ten of the finest quality White South Sea cultured pearls and 632 Akoya cultured pearls with 6.09 carats of diamonds. The Crown was handmade by Mikimoto’s Master Craftsmen in Mikimoto’s factory in Japan and took over ten weeks of labor to complete. The Crown weighs just over one pound. Each Royal Court Tiara is valued at $45,000 and features 194 White South Sea cultured pearls and Akoya cultured pearls with 1.44 carats of diamonds. The Tiaras were handmade by Mikimoto’s Master Craftsmen in Mikimoto’s factory in Japan and each Tiara weighs about a third of a pound.

The 118th Rose Parade themed Our Good Nature, will take place on Monday, Jan. 1, at 8 a.m. (PST) and will feature spirited marching bands from throughout the nation, majestic floral floats and high-stepping equestrian units. Following the Rose Parade, at 2 p.m. (PST), the 93rd Rose Bowl Game will feature an exciting match up between two championship teams, showcasing the best of collegiate football in The Rose Bowl. For additional information on Tournament of Roses activities, please visit the official Tournament of Roses website at www.tournamentofroses.com.