Discover The Innovation And Artistry Behind Mikimoto’s Precious Pearls

For centuries, the female free-divers of Ise-Shima in Japan have ventured deep into the ocean, foraging for seafood for their villages. In the late 1800s, they would sometimes return to shore with an extra precious bounty, too – gleaming natural pearls with astounding luster. Little did they know they were being watched by a young boy who would change the course of this gem’s history forever. Having become fascinated by their beauty as a child, Mikimoto Kokichi went on to dedicate his life and career to pearls, and in 1893, he succeeded at creating the first ever cultured specimen.

To understand the context of Kokichi’s incredible feat, it is worth noting that natural pearls are extraordinarily rare – less than one in 10,000 oyster shells produces a pearl during its lifetime. However, Kokichi aspired to democratize these natural wonders, famously saying, “My dream is to adorn the necks of all women around the world with pearls.” After his initial success producing a semi-spherical pearl, Kokichi then went on to create many different types of pearls, including opulent black and white South Sea pearls, flaunting remarkable iridescence and exceptional character.

This feat was celebrated worldwide, with many scientists astounded by his accomplishment. Thomas Edison, one of America’s most prominent inventors of the 19th century, hailed Kokichi’s discovery as “one of the wonders of the world”, having tried and failed to achieve this wizardry in his own laboratory. But this was just the beginning because, while creating the pearls themselves was perhaps Kokichi’s most impressive achievement, the innovator then embarked on a quest to master the artisan techniques of Europe’s high-jewelry maisons, introducing Art Deco and Art Nouveau design codes to Japan under his own label. Kokichi blended European methods with traditional Japanese metalwork to develop the maison’s eclectic, classic yet contemporary aesthetic that still defines Mikimoto to this day.

This far-reaching eclecticism makes it easy to believe that Kokichi would welcome the recent repositioning of pearls within contemporary fine-jewelry collections. A gemstone that in the late 20th century became associated with prim, proper and ladylike style, perhaps due to their association with fashion icons such as Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn, has been reclaimed as a modern gem for everyday wear, now worn in myriad layers and housed in minimalist metal designs. The Mikimoto maison has, of course, embraced this revival and interpreted it with signature classicism, crafting rows of precious pearls arranged into single sleek lines – the perfect companion for a svelte slip dress. Drop-pearl earrings and timeless studs add a touch of refined luxury to knitwear and denim, while whisker-fine chains can be layered with abandon, each bearing a perfect pearl drop.

The maison continues to be inspired by the world around us, too, with designs from its Ocean collection bearing deep-blue sapphires to recall the majesty of the sea – the origin of all Mikimoto pearls. It is, in fact, almost impossible to wear pearls and not be reminded of the ocean; their cool nacre sits against the skin with effortless ease, bringing back memories of shoreside treasures discovered in childhood. Their beauty is innate, but don’t underestimate their power to enhance the complexion, too: entirely different to the intense light emitted by diamonds, pearls exude a rarefied glow like no other gemstone on earth.

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