Pearls are a symbol of elegance, beauty and distinction, which is why they will always have great value for women, comparable even to that of the most precious stone, but unlike these, which can only be found in nature, pearls they can also be artificially produced; and one of the names that stands out in pearl farming is “Kokichi Mikimoto”, who is credited with creating the first cultured pearl, thanks to which he started and revolutionized the pearl industry.
It all started at the end of the last century, when «Mikimoto» began to test his technique, introducing a piece of mussel into an oyster, so that it would defend itself against the foreign body by stimulating the nacre secretions, which, when accumulated in thousands of layers, would form the pearl. Unfortunately, his attempts were unsuccessful until July 11, 1893, after also overcoming some challenges of nature, his dream became a reality.
Although his pearls were not perfectly spherical, his efforts did not stop there, as the constant search for perfection and a deep love for these jewels allowed him to obtain pieces of impeccable beauty, known as «akoya» pearls, which would become his greatest legate and would earn him the title of the pearl king.
That is how in 1899, in the fashionable commercial district of Tokyo, he opened his first pearl boutique and his success was such that he began to achieve worldwide fame, for which some more were created in London, Paris and other important cities. And by the year 1919, they began to be produced and marketed massively, managing to satisfy all the demand that existed at that time. One of the greatest honors was received in 1924, when the Emperor of Japan made him the Official Jeweler of the Imperial Family.
Product of his fame, «Mikimoto» traveled the world exhibiting his work, one of his most successful campaigns being the creation of replicas of buildings and historical objects made of pearls by his jewelers. In addition to this, thanks to him, these pearls, which traditionally had a very high cost and were worn only by women of the highest social spheres, began to adorn the necks of many women in various parts of the world.
But one of her most iconic jewels and the most famous in history was the pearl necklace that Marilyn Monroe wore, bought at the «Mikimoto» store in Tokyo by her boyfriend Joe DiMaggio, during their honeymoon held in Japan in 1954. However, this was not the only famous jewel, since the phoenix crown, created in 2001 for the winner of the Miss Universe pageant, also stands out.
In this way, the legend of «Mikimoto» was created, and although he is not the only one in the pearl market, his pieces will continue to be the most revered in the world for their beauty.