In the past, pearl harvesting was purely a matter of happenstance, as the presence of a pearl in any particular oyster shell could never be predetermined. In 1890, Kokichi Mikimoto, the founder of K. Mikimoto & Co...In the past, pearl harvesting was purely a matter of happenstance, as the presence of a pearl in any particular oyster shell could never be predetermined. In 1890, Kokichi Mikimoto, the founder of K. Mikimoto & Co., Ltd., began experimenting pearl cultivation in an inlet in Shinmeiura, Oshima-gun, Mie prefecture. In 1893, Mr. Mikimoto finally achieved a breakthrough, producing the world’s first cultured pearls. He then set out to cultivate pearl oysters on a large scale in order to procure a steady supply of these enchanting products of nature. In 1899, he opened the K. Mikimoto retail store in the Ginza district of Tokyo. As Japan’s first specialty outlet for pearls, this store laid the foundation for Japan’s modern jewelry industry. Mr. Mikimoto then began to expand internationally, opening his first overseas branch in London in 1913; branches in New York and Paris soon followed. As these pearls spread worldwide, “Mikimoto” soon became synonymous with cultured pearls and even Japanese culture. In those days, much of the jewelry available in the Japanese market was imported from Europe. Original Japanese jewelry did not yet exist, and the craft of jewelry-making was virtually unknown in Japan. Aware of the importance of developing jewelry featuring original Japanese designs, and of introducing and further refining the jeweler craft, Kokichi lost no time in sending his staff to Europe to acquire the necessary skill. By 1907, he opened the Mikimoto Jewelry Factory, Japan’s first jewelry factory. In so doing, Mikimoto established what was possibly the world’s first system for ensuring high quality throughout the jewelry-making process, from production to marketing. Ever since, this principle of quality assurance has remained central to the Mikimoto philosophy.展开更多
文摘In the past, pearl harvesting was purely a matter of happenstance, as the presence of a pearl in any particular oyster shell could never be predetermined. In 1890, Kokichi Mikimoto, the founder of K. Mikimoto & Co., Ltd., began experimenting pearl cultivation in an inlet in Shinmeiura, Oshima-gun, Mie prefecture. In 1893, Mr. Mikimoto finally achieved a breakthrough, producing the world’s first cultured pearls. He then set out to cultivate pearl oysters on a large scale in order to procure a steady supply of these enchanting products of nature. In 1899, he opened the K. Mikimoto retail store in the Ginza district of Tokyo. As Japan’s first specialty outlet for pearls, this store laid the foundation for Japan’s modern jewelry industry. Mr. Mikimoto then began to expand internationally, opening his first overseas branch in London in 1913; branches in New York and Paris soon followed. As these pearls spread worldwide, “Mikimoto” soon became synonymous with cultured pearls and even Japanese culture. In those days, much of the jewelry available in the Japanese market was imported from Europe. Original Japanese jewelry did not yet exist, and the craft of jewelry-making was virtually unknown in Japan. Aware of the importance of developing jewelry featuring original Japanese designs, and of introducing and further refining the jeweler craft, Kokichi lost no time in sending his staff to Europe to acquire the necessary skill. By 1907, he opened the Mikimoto Jewelry Factory, Japan’s first jewelry factory. In so doing, Mikimoto established what was possibly the world’s first system for ensuring high quality throughout the jewelry-making process, from production to marketing. Ever since, this principle of quality assurance has remained central to the Mikimoto philosophy.
