| For hundreds of years, China and Japan have been | | | | women of the world with pearls." His dream was an |
| the leader in the saltwater and Akoya pearl market. In | | | | eventual success with women worldwide recognizing |
| the earliest days of pearl harvesting, it was difficult to | | | | Mikimoto's name and wearing his pearls everywhere. |
| find pearls that was both high in quality and had a | | | | This new technology for developing cultured pearls |
| perfectly round shape. Mikimoto was the man to | | | | really helped Japan's business take off. By 1935, Japan |
| develop and produce high quality, round cultured pearls | | | | had over 350 pearl farms producing high quality |
| in Japan and changed the pearl market forever. | | | | cultured pearls by the millions. Eventually, the uprising |
| Mikimoto began his first pearl oyster farm in 1888 | | | | slowed and Japan was left with an oversupply of |
| where he began to develop his method for creating | | | | pearls. Mikimoto began to promote his pearls overseas |
| round, high quality cultured pearls. After working with | | | | in the United States and Europe. He opened up stylish |
| the pearls, Mikimoto began distributing these cultured | | | | boutiques in Paris, London, New York, Chicago and |
| pearls in 1897 and continued perfecting his methods. | | | | many other cities making his brand one of the first |
| During these years, Mikimoto ran into some competition | | | | Japanese brands to have international recognition. |
| from some other biologists developing their own pearl | | | | Because Mikimoto's pearls were cultured and not |
| techniques. Both Mikimoto and other scientists were | | | | "natural" he ran in to a lot of criticism. He was |
| using similar techniques in which they insert a piece of | | | | constantly defending his product stating that his pearls |
| mantle tissue with a nucleus into the oyster which | | | | were only of the highest quality. At one time, he even |
| causes a pearl to form. After some fights and | | | | went as far as to publicly burn thousands of low |
| adaptations to patents, Mikimoto made arrangements | | | | quality pearls to prove that he sold only high quality |
| with another biologist in 1916 and was able to really | | | | cultured pearls. To further establish his reputation, he |
| develop his business. | | | | also took his pearls to the 1926 Philadelphia World |
| Mikimoto spent many years developing his cultured | | | | Exposition where he displayed a replica of the liberty |
| pearl techniques and it paid off. Mikimoto began | | | | bell covered in pearls. |
| culturing classic white Akoya pearls and was | | | | Even though Mikimoto died in 1954 his name and his |
| successful. He was however always intrigued by black | | | | brand live on today. Mikimoto was the official jeweler |
| and silver pearls and wanted to culture those as well. | | | | of the 2003-2008 Miss USA pageant, the 2002-2007 |
| He began culturing Black South Sea Pearls in 1914 and | | | | Miss Universe pageant and the 2001-2008 Miss Teen |
| his efforts eventually became a success in 1931. It was | | | | USA pageant. He was also posthumously awarded |
| in this year he cultured a giant 10mm black South Sea | | | | the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred |
| pearl. After having so much success culturing pearls, | | | | Treasure. Today, his pearls are still sought after and |
| Mikimoto said "I want to adorn the necks of all the | | | | extremely valuable. |