Mikimoto is the premier producer and designer of the world?s highest quality pearls and pearl jewelry. In 1893, Mikimoto\'s founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, successfully created the first cultured pearls. Thus began a lifelong pursuit to fulfill his dream of \"adorning the necks of all women around the world with pearls.? For over a century, this dream has lived on through the company that carries his name with honor and pride, and continues to dedicate itself to the pursuit of beauty. Mikimoto jewelry has become synonymous with only the finest quality materials - platinum or 18k gold, all-natural gemstones that haven?t been irradiated or color treated in any way, and the highest quality silk thread. Mikimoto pieces can be identified by the trademark outline of an oyster, a distinctive engraving of the Mikimoto name, or the signature ?M? logo charm. On January 25, 1858, a boy was born to a noodle-shop owner and his wife; a boy whose influence on nature?s production of beauty will stand the test of time. Kokichi Mikimoto became the eldest son and, at the tender age of 11, was compelled to leave school and sell vegetables to help support the family after his father fell ill. International trade arrived in Japan in the early 1850s, and in his port town of Toba on the Shima peninsula, pearls were the most valuable local commodity. Mikimoto pursued the trade with intensity and gained a measure of success. Years passed and pearls became more scarce. Their increasing rarity made them continually more valuable, and the voracious cycle prompted Mikimoto to explore growing pearls within the oysters of his own protected beds. By this time, his reputation as a perfectionist and an expert in the trade had reached Japan?s Imperial Court. In 1878, he helped organize and judge a pearl exhibition. Mikimoto was shaken by the malformed, immature pearls sold by an industry corrupt from greed and lack of pride in quality. He increased his efforts, focused on Akoya oysters and experimented with seeding them with an irritant particle to stimulate the nacre secretion that resulted in the thousands of layers required to create a glistening pearl. After years of research and failed experiments, and despite the nature?s best efforts to stymie success, including oyster-eating octopi and the infamous \"red tide?, Mikimoto?s efforts prevailed. On July 11, 1893, his wife, Ume, retrieved a basket of oysters for inspection. Born inside one of them were the fruits of Mikimoto?s labours. Three years later, he had secured his first patent for the production of pearls - cultured pearls - and produced the first fully spherical pearl in 1905. The following decades saw Mikimoto continue the advancement of pearl cultivation science and greater accomplishments. Among them was another patent for culturing mantle tissue, granted in 1908, the cultivation of the renowned 10 millimeter South Sea pearl, and a large, opulent black pearl in the warm, deep waters off the coast of Okinawa. In 1899, he opened his first boutique in Tokyo, soon followed by London, Paris and other prominent cities around the world by 1913. Ever the consummate salesman, Mikimoto participated in worldwide exhibitions, choosing to create lavish centerpieces rather just displaying his wares. At the 1910 Anglo-Japanese Fair in London he embellished an unforgettable Japanese screen and fan with pearls. At the 1926 Philadelphia World\'s Fair, a five-story platinum pagoda was festooned with 12,000 gleaming cultured pearls. In 1932, in a genius stroke of theater, Mikimoto burned ?inferior? pearls while an audience of international press looked on. He continued onward with displays of grandeur that were increasingly luxurious and opulent; a miniature model of Mount Vernon embellished with 24,328 pearls at the 1933 Chicago World\'s Fair, a stunning pearl model of the Liberty Bell studded with 12,250 pearls and 366 diamonds, nicknamed ?the Million Dollar Bell?, was unveiled at the 1939 New York World\'s Fair. Mikimoto became the unofficial ambassador of Japan?s pearl trade and the embodiment of its reputation for refined goods of the highest quality. After World War II, Mikimoto opened stores in New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Shanghai and Bombay, further solidifying international reach and recognition. He was appointed to the House of Peers, introduced to Thomas Edison, received in audience by Emperor Showa, received by the Empress Dowager when she visited Tatokujima Island, and posthumously awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure. Kokichi Mikimoto built what today remains as one of the most revered reputations and brands in the history of jewelry. His vision lives today, as the brand he built strives to honor his memory and preserve the tradition of producing among the most luxurious, recognizable, elegant and desirable gems in the world.