Mikimoto: The History of the Cultured Pearl

In the world of pearls, Mikimoto has become one of the most well known names in history. Today, Mikimoto supplies some of the finest cultured pearls across the globe. However, the fascinating history behind Mikimoto began in the mid-19th century.

Japan began trading its naturally harvested pearls (priceless treasures at the time) with foreign nations preceding the dawn of the Meiji Period (1868-1912). As a result, the pearl-providing oysters near the town of Ise-Shima were catastrophically over-harvested. Kokichi Mikimoto understood the plight of the pearl oysters in his hometown, so he decided to undertake the momentous task of creating a cultured pearl.

After decades of research and experimentation with seeded oysters, Mikimoto's dream finally came true. On July 11, 1893, Mikimoto became the first person to create a pearl.

Mikimoto's success in creating a cultured pearl inspired him to branch out. He began experimenting with black and silver-lipped pearls as well. By 1914, Mikimoto had his own culturing site for Black South Sea pearl oysters in Okinawa.

His experimentation eventually led to an incredible event - the creation of a 10mm giant pearl! In addition to his personal success, Mikimoto encouraged the growth of small, local pearl industries in other parts of Japan.

In 1906, Mikimoto made history yet again when he opened the first jewelry store specializing in pearls in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district. Mikimoto pearls immediately symbolized high fashion and quality jewelry. Mikimoto's success in Japan has since spread across the continents, bringing the finest pearls to consumers everywhere.

Mikimoto's special cultivation process includes four steps: raising the oysters, inserting the nucleus, cultivating the pearls, and harvesting the pearls. In brief, Mikimoto's process mimics the natural birth of a pearl.

There are several varieties of pearls, each with different colors and degrees of luster. The Akoya pearl is aptly named after the Akoya oyster from Japan. Akoya pearls range in size from 2 to 10 mm and can appear in white, rose, green, gold, silver and cream.

The South Sea cultured pearl is one of the larger varieties; most pearls average about 10 mm because the oysters reside in warmer waters.

The Black South Sea cultured pearl comes from black-lipped oysters (located in Okinawa and Tahiti), and it can range in size from 8 to 15 mm. The most common color is a peacock green.

Freshwater cultured pearls generally come from lakes or rivers in China. Freshwater oysters can produce as many as 10 to 14 oval-shaped pearls at a time.

The Conch pearl is a natural pearl from the Queen conch, which is native to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The finest Conch pearls have a flame-like appearance.

Only the best pearls may carry the honored Mikimoto name. Mikimoto uses five physical factors to determine a pearl's quality: luster, surface perfection, color, shape and size.

Mikimoto also has a unique grading system, which further defines the quality of a pearl. There are four Mikimoto grades, and four sub-grades, ranked from highest quality to lowest: AAA, AAA1, AA, AA1, A+, A+1, A, and A1. The best pearls, AAA-rated, are free of blemishes and have an exceptional luster. The lowest-quality pearls, A1-rated, have some blemishes and just a good, clear reflective luster.

Based on this strict grading scale, only the top 5% of cultured pearls in Japan are worthy of the Mikimoto name.

For over a century, Mikimoto has had an exceptional reputation for providing some of the most beautiful and finely crafted pearl jewelry in the world. The history of pearls has been remarkably altered by the advent of the cultured pearl.