Prior to the finals night of Miss Universe beauty pageant, there were already rumors that the organization will change the crown design. This is from the DIC crown back to the Mikimoto crown for the winner of 2017. During the coronation night of the pageant, Demi-Leigh Nel Peters was crowned as the new winner of the event. Pageant enthusiasts were no longer surprised when Iris Mittenaere used the Mikimoto crown that was placed on the top of Demi's head and then made her first walk in front of the stage as the new winner of Miss Universe. All fans were cheering for Demi-Leigh as she was in tears walking through the runway as the 66th winner of the pageant.
Two weeks before the coronation night, the President of Miss Universe Organization made an announcement to a Guatemalan newscaster regarding the changes in the pageant. One major change is the crown, which will be used on the head of the next winner of Miss Universe. Aside from the crown, there were other surprises that will melt the hearts of pageant aficionados across the world. Since that interview, Latin fans posted the conversation to several Latin pages regarding the changes in the crowns for the new winner of the pageant until it spread like a wildfire. Since there were Asians who were monitoring Latin's behaviors on social media, they were quick to pick up the latest announcements until it became global.
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| Demi-Leigh Nel Peters and the Mikimoto Crown |
As based on the name itself, the Mikimoto crown is obviously a design by a Japanese jewelry maker. The design is composed of numerous sets of pearls to highlight the crown's elegance. The design of the crown is inspired by a peacock design that is composed of at least seven feathers that form a fan-shaped appearance. There is a set of pearls that are embedded each of the feathers as well as on the bottom of the crown. The materials surrounding the pearls are composed of small diamonds that are attached to whit gold stalks to each branch. The circular-shaped pattern enclosing the big pearl is smaller pearls.
The crown was designed and created in 2000 by Tomohiro Yamaji. It was designed in commemoration of Mikimoto Pearl Company as an official sponsor of Miss Universe Organization. The Mikimoto Crown symbolizes the lady crown that is intended to make a regal statement for beauty queens who will wear the crown during their triumphant win on the coronation night. The peacock-looking design is actually based on Fenghuang phoenix that is based on East Asian mythology. The whole crown is composed of 18-carat diamonds, 120 South Sea and Akoya Pearls that have a total worth of 29.7 carats.
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WATCH: 5 Facts about the Mikimoto Crown of Miss Universe beauty pageant
(1). The Mikimoto crown is currently worn by Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel Peters of South Africa. Demi-Leigh is the latest brand ambassadress of the Miss Universe Organization as well as the Mikimoto Crown. Both Demi and Miss International 2017 Kevin Liliana are the faces of Mikimoto crown. However, Demi-Leigh might only wear the crown for a couple of months as the reigning Miss Universe 2017. She might be passing the crown to the next winner that will be held in the summer of next year. That is probably between the months of July and September of next year.
(2) Mikimoto crown is worth at least $250,000. The crown is currently insured with a whopping $250,000 against any threats of damage or any intent to steal the material. The value is significantly in a large amount that can easily make other people rich. This value can help a person to establish their own business on their own terms. The value makes the crown heavily guarded by the staff and the security personnel of the Miss Universe Organization. The security agency will accompany the staff and the winner of Miss Universe to secure the safety of the winner, the crown, and the staff while they are in public.
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(3). The crown first appeared in 2002 when it was worn by Oxana Fedorova of Russia and then by Justin Pasek of Panama. The crown was then brought to Amelia Vega of the Dominican Republic in 2003. Amelia passed the crown to Jennifer Hawkins in 2004 and then passed the crown to Natalie Glebova of Canada in 2005. Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico assumed the crown in 2006 and then passed it to Riyo Mori in 2007. Venezuela's Dayana Mendoza wore the crown in 2009 during her farewell walk. During Pia Wurtzbach's reign, she wore the Mikimoto crown in one of her photoshoots for a magazine. And in 2017, the Mikimoto crown was then given to Demi-Leigh Nel Peters of South Africa as the new Miss Universe in 2017.
(4). The Mikimoto crown is the most requested crown than any other crowns. There are at least nine crowns that the Miss Universe Organization chose as official designs throughout its history. However, the crowd still picked the Mikimoto crown as their top pick to be the best crown design that the Miss Universe ever had. The design of the crown is believed to fit the heads of deserving winners during their crowning moment as Miss Universe queens. The appearance and the ambiance change when a new queen is crowned because it makes her more regal and elegant while glazing the stage with their first official walk as the newly proclaimed queens.
(5). Cheaper than the DIC skyscraper-inspired crown that was last worn by Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere. The worth of DIC crown is $300,000, which is $50,000 more expensive than the Mikimoto crown. One of the reasons why the organization chose the Mikimoto is the market value. This is because cheaper with a higher demand is better than an object that higher value with a lower demand. The Miss Universe Organization also made a closed-door preliminary competition for the swimsuit and evening gown competition, confirming speculations that the organization is saving more money during the competition.
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