MajorsMar 18, 2021
Mikimoto Cuts Ribbon on New FlagshipCollectionsJun 29, 2023
This Is How Mikimoto Is Celebrating 130 Years of Cultured Pearls
The company has a new collection and a new campaign that serves as a love letter to the sea.
A white South Sea cultured pearl necklace in 18-karat white gold with sapphire rondelles from Mikimoto’s 130th anniversary collection ($210,000). The company is marking the milestone with a new campaign.
New York—Mikimoto is celebrating its 130th anniversary in style.
The company’s founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, created the first cultured pearl in 1893 in Japan, launching an entirely new industry.
In celebration of the milestone, the company has been rolling out a multi-part anniversary campaign, beginning with its “Love Letter to the Sea” earlier this year.
The six-part film series highlights the brand’s connection to and love for the sea, a partnership it hopes to honor with its ongoing sustainability efforts.
“Mikimoto has always been dedicated to the beauty of pearls, channeling its hopes and dreams into works of jewelry,” said the company. “This year, Mikimoto will further continue its efforts to promote coexistence with nature, especially with the sea, where the pearls are nurtured.”
Mikimoto said it will continue its pearl research and its work to implement a zero-emissions pearl farming system that can collect and recycle the waste from the process.
Reaching its zero-emissions goal has been a work in progress since 2009, said the company.
Previously, when pearls were harvested, the shells and flesh were thrown away, though the adductor muscles were used for food.
Now, Mikimoto, alongside its partners, reuse and recycle the waste. Collagen and conchiolin, also known as pearl protein, are extracted to be used in cosmetics and dietary supplements while oyster shells are repurposed for decorative use.
“Mikimoto will continue its efforts to promote sustainable pearl farming while preserving biodiversity and ecosystems,” said the company.
Of course, the anniversary celebration wouldn’t be complete without pearl jewelry.
Mikimoto recently debuted its 130th anniversary collection, which is a mix of new and existing jewels and serves as a curation of its special and limited-edition jewelry.
The collection is comprised of minimalist pearl pendants and studs, as well as dramatic pearl strands and colorful brooches.
SEE: Mikimoto’s 130th Anniversary Collection
The company’s founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, created the first cultured pearl in 1893 in Japan, launching an entirely new industry.
In celebration of the milestone, the company has been rolling out a multi-part anniversary campaign, beginning with its “Love Letter to the Sea” earlier this year.
The six-part film series highlights the brand’s connection to and love for the sea, a partnership it hopes to honor with its ongoing sustainability efforts.
“Mikimoto has always been dedicated to the beauty of pearls, channeling its hopes and dreams into works of jewelry,” said the company. “This year, Mikimoto will further continue its efforts to promote coexistence with nature, especially with the sea, where the pearls are nurtured.”
Mikimoto said it will continue its pearl research and its work to implement a zero-emissions pearl farming system that can collect and recycle the waste from the process.
Reaching its zero-emissions goal has been a work in progress since 2009, said the company.
Previously, when pearls were harvested, the shells and flesh were thrown away, though the adductor muscles were used for food.
Now, Mikimoto, alongside its partners, reuse and recycle the waste. Collagen and conchiolin, also known as pearl protein, are extracted to be used in cosmetics and dietary supplements while oyster shells are repurposed for decorative use.
“Mikimoto will continue its efforts to promote sustainable pearl farming while preserving biodiversity and ecosystems,” said the company.
Of course, the anniversary celebration wouldn’t be complete without pearl jewelry.
Mikimoto recently debuted its 130th anniversary collection, which is a mix of new and existing jewels and serves as a curation of its special and limited-edition jewelry.
The collection is comprised of minimalist pearl pendants and studs, as well as dramatic pearl strands and colorful brooches.
SEE: Mikimoto’s 130th Anniversary Collection
The “Jardin Mystérieux” conch and Akoya cultured pearl brooch (price available upon request)
Mikimoto “Ocean” earrings in 18-karat white gold with blue sapphires and Akoya cultured pearls ($3,750)
Mikimoto Akoya cultured pearl bracelet with blue enamel in silver ($640)
Mikimoto conch and Akoya cultured pearl necklace in 18-karat white gold, set with 16.3 carats of diamonds and a 3.24 carat conch pearl ($246,000)
Mikimoto “Splash” pendant in 18-karat gold set with diamonds and sapphires and Akoya cultured pearls ($21,000)
Mikimoto multi-colored pearl necklace set in 18-karat yellow gold with white, black and golden South Sea pearls. ($140,000)
“To commemorate Mikimoto’s 130th anniversary this year, we are not only honoring Mikimoto as the originator of cultured pearls, but paying homage to the brand’s origins in the sea and the beauty that pearls have bestowed on us for centuries," said Noriko Otsuka, Mikimoto America’s senior vice president of merchandise.
“Mikimoto’s commitment to creating the highest quality pearl jewelry in classic and modern styles is unparalleled in our industry and we look forward to continuing to evolve and build on the brand’s legacy.”
The collection ranges in price from $640 for a pearl and enamel bracelet to $246,000 for a diamond necklace with a conch pearl pendant.
Pearl enthusiasts will find several varieties accounted for in the collection, including white, black, and golden South Sea pearls, white Akoya pearls, and conch pearls.
Another facet of the celebration is a series of new campaign videos, titled “Love Pearls,” in which the brand’s celebrity fans shared their well wishes.
Featured celebrities include actress and Mikimoto brand ambassador Dilraba Dilmurat, designer Marc Jacobs, model Ai Tominaga, actress Mari Natsuki, and actors James Jirayu, Song Wei Long, and Taishi Nakagawa.
Decked out in Mikimoto jewels, each video features a celebrity who shares their favorite pieces and their memories associated with the storied brand.
“When I think of the most beautiful pearls in the world, I think of Mikimoto,” Jacobs says in his video.
“My favorite piece of jewelry is a single strand of pearls that I wear not only for good luck but to glamorize every one of my looks.”
Natsuki, perhaps best known in the United States for her voice work in the 2001 animated film “Spirited Away,” shared her cultural connection with pearls as a Japanese woman.
“What I love about Mikimoto pearls is [the] romantic story,” she said. “Moreover, they make me feel proud as a Japanese [person] and confident as a woman. Pearls are the gems that really make me feel happy to be Japanese.”
The videos are available to view on Mikimoto’s website.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
TrendsSep 17, 2020
Mikimoto Debuts First Fragrance
EditorsFeb 20, 2018
5 Things to Know About … Conch PearlsMore on Collections
The Latest
SourcingFeb 04, 2025
New Deal With Botswana Is Done, De Beers Confirms The agreement will allocate an increasing proportion of the country’s rough diamonds to the government of Botswana over the next decade.
Events & AwardsFeb 04, 2025
Van Cleef & Arpels’ Astronomy-Inspired Jewelry to Land at AMNH“Cosmic Splendor: Jewelry From the Collections of Van Cleef & Arpels,” opens April 11 at the American Museum of Natural History.
SurveysFeb 04, 2025
Valentine’s Day Jewelry Spending Forecast to Hit Record High, Says NRFThose celebrating Valentine’s Day this year are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion on jewels, flowers, candy, and more.
Brought to you by
3 Ways to Capitalize on America’s Newfound Love of Colored GemsColored stones are stepping into a jewelry spotlight typically reserved for diamonds—are you ready to sell color?
EditorsFeb 03, 2025
Best Jewelry Moments From the 2025 Grammy Awards From Lady Gaga’s 1930s Tiffany & Co. necklace to Taylor Swift’s “T,” Michelle Graff recaps the night’s most memorable jewelry looks.
Weekly QuizJan 30, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsFeb 03, 2025
Qurate to Close HSN’s Florida HQ Amid RestructuringLayoffs will reportedly start next month as HSN plans to move into QVC’s location in Pennsylvania.
EditorsFeb 03, 2025
Q&A: 5 Jewelry Designers on Shopping the 2025 Tucson Gem ShowsA group of creatives talked to Associate Editor Lauren McLemore about their approach to the annual Tucson gem, mineral, and fossil shows.
Brought to you by
3 New Year’s Resolutions for Jewelry Lovers The new year feels like a clean slate, inspiring reflection, hope, and the motivation to become better versions of ourselves.
AuctionsJan 31, 2025
Elizabeth Taylor’s Diamond Bracelet Outshines Estimate at U.K. AuctionThe auction also featured the sale of a Cartier necklace made when Egyptomania was sweeping Great Britain.
IndependentsJan 31, 2025
Harvey Rovinsky, Longtime Owner of Bernie Robbins Jewelers, Dies at 77Rovinsky is remembered as a great mentor who made the employees of his stores feel like family.
Events & AwardsJan 31, 2025
Facets of Fire Has a Diamond Challenge for RetailersFor every jeweler who tries their luck, the company will make a donation to Jewelers for Children.
MajorsJan 30, 2025
WJA Chapter Leaders Resign as Fallout From DEI Remarks SnowballsThe boards of at least five chapters have resigned in response to controversial statements the WJA national board president made last month.
Policies & IssuesJan 30, 2025
RJC Executive Director Melanie Grant Is Stepping Down An experienced jewelry writer and curator, Grant led the organization for two years.
Events & AwardsJan 30, 2025
Registration Open for Converge 2025The inaugural event is being co-hosted by the American Gem Society and the Gemological Institute of America.
MajorsJan 30, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York Elects 5 New MembersJewelers of America’s Annie Doresca and AGTA CEO John W. Ford Sr. are among the new members.
CollectionsJan 29, 2025
Boucheron’s High Jewelry Takes the Form of ‘Untamed Nature’The jeweler’s latest high jewelry collection looks into the Boucheron archives to create a “living encyclopedia of high jewelry.”
FinancialsJan 29, 2025
LVMH Watch, Jewelry Sales End the Year DownWatch and jewelry sales slipped 3 percent in 2024, though the luxury conglomerate did see business pick up in the fourth quarter.
MajorsJan 29, 2025
Chanel Names New General Manager of Watches, Fine Jewelry for USOlivier Kessler-Gay will take over the role on March 3.
SurveysJan 29, 2025
Consumer Confidence Slips for Second Consecutive Month It hit a four-month low in January due to concerns about the job market, though consumers remain bullish about the stock market.
Events & AwardsJan 29, 2025
Chris Ploof To Teach Mokume Gane at AJSThe jewelry designer and master metalsmith will present on the ancient Japanese metalworking technique at the Atlanta Jewelry Show in March.
SourcingJan 28, 2025
WFDB Joins Efforts to Promote Natural Diamonds With New CampaignThe “Moments” social media campaign emphasizes the emotional ties between natural diamonds and life’s special milestones.
CollectionsJan 28, 2025
Bliss Lau Celebrates the Intricate Mosaic of Identity in New CollectionThe versatile “As We Are” collection features 14 pieces with interlocking designs allowing for 27 different looks worn around the body.
SourcingJan 28, 2025
Botswana’s First Olympic Gold Medalist Is Now a De Beers Ambassador Letsile Tebogo will help to promote natural diamonds and the good they have done for his country.
Events & AwardsJan 28, 2025
NouvelleBox Show Returns to New York CityThe showcase, in its second year, will feature more than 20 international brands at its curated event from Feb. 2-4.
Recorded WebinarsJan 28, 2025
Watch: Fine Jewelry Market Predictions for 2025 “My Next Question” guests Sherry Smith and Edahn Golan share their 2025 forecasts, from sales and marketing to what retailers should stock.
Events & AwardsJan 28, 2025
Here Is the 2025 AGTA GemFair Tucson Educational LineupThe seminar series covers topics from market trends and colored stone terminology to working with museums and growing an Instagram profile.
MajorsJan 27, 2025
Le Vian Corp. Chairman Larry LeVian, a Man of Faith and Family, Dies at 73 LeVian is remembered for his leadership in the jewelry industry and for being a selfless and compassionate person.
