Mikimoto: The inventor of cultured pearls, a symbol of excellence

Foundation and Revolution of the Pearl Industry

Founded in 1893 by Kōkichi Mikimoto (1858-1954), the Japanese jewelry house Mikimoto became the world's leading industrial producer of cultured pearls . The son of a noodle shop owner, Mikimoto revolutionized the pearl industry by developing the technique of implanting a nucleus into a live pearl oyster, giving rise to the first commercially viable cultured pearl . Although this technique was explored by other researchers, Mikimoto was the true pioneer who industrialized and popularized cultured pearls worldwide, earning him the nickname " King of Pearls ."

Professional Development and International Recognition

He began by developing the world's first semi-spherical cultured pearls , before perfecting his method to produce perfectly round pearls in 1905. A model of perseverance and innovation , his pearls won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition , which greatly contributed to establishing the brand's global reputation. Mikimoto 's renown was further cemented throughout the 20th century , notably in 1954 when Joe DiMaggio gifted Marilyn Monroe a Mikimoto cultured pearl necklace for their wedding, a gesture that made jewelry history.