THE iconic Mikimoto crown returned to the Miss Universe pageant on Sunday evening, November 26 (Monday, Manila time) and was worn by the new title holder Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa.
The Japanese crown, was designed by the pageant's former official jeweler Mikimoto & Company, was last used by formers winners from 2002 to 2007.
The phoenix-inspired Mikimoto head piece, which is reportedly worth about $200,000, features 500 diamonds weighing almost 30 carats, more than a hundred white South Sea pearls and Akoya pearls, which started Kokichi Mikimoto's pearl cultivation enterprise in Japan.
The Mikimoto crown was given to Miss Universe winners from 2002 to 2007.
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach also had the chance to wear the crown in a photoshoot.
(USC AB Communications Intern Vincent Clark Ermac/SunStar Philippines)