Mikimoto Pearl and Gold Studs
View Similar Items
Mikimoto Pearl and Gold Studs
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:
- Stone:
- Weight:2.0 g
- Dimensions:Diameter: 0.31 in (7.8 mm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1980s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Litchfield, CT
- Reference Number:Seller: 153811stDibs: LU2301767163
Mikimoto
Born to a noodle-shop owner, Japanese jeweler Kokichi Mikimoto (1858–1954) worked in the seafood business before shifting his focus to pearl cultivation. In 1893, he successfully developed the world’s first cultured pearls with a semispherical specimen. His further experimentation would include black and white South Sea pearls. This development gave Mikimoto a supply of what had once been a notoriously rare natural element and earned him the nickname “The Pearl King.” As he once said, “My dream is to adorn the necks of all women around the world with pearls.”
In 1899 in Tokyo’s Ginza district, Mikimoto opened his first, eponymous store in a white-stone building reminiscent of the color of pearls. He quickly earned a reputation for dazzling designs that blended Japanese craftsmanship and European influence. Mikimoto sent his jewelers to Europe to study the latest trends in jewelry and design; they brought back knowledge of Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles, which were incorporated into designs featuring Mikimoto’s pearls.
But Mikimoto’s creations were not met with enthusiasm by all. In 1921, a London newspaper called the designer’s jewelry “only imitations of real pearls” and claimed the company was “misleading” its customers. It developed into a lawsuit in the French courts, which ruled in Mikimoto’s favor, and raised the jeweler’s global profile. He also brought his work international acclaim through exhibitions and world’s fairs, including the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia where he unveiled a replica of the Liberty Bell covered with pearls. In 1927, Mikimoto met with Thomas Edison, who gave the jeweler’s invention probably its best compliment: “It is one of the wonders of the world that you were able to culture pearls. . . . This isn’t a cultured pearl, it’s a real pearl.”
Following World War II, Mikimoto opened stores around the world, with locations now in Paris, New York City, Los Angeles and Shanghai. Though its founder died in 1954, the Mikimoto company has continued to build on the legacy he established, producing collections of pearl necklaces and other pearl-centric jewelry that span a wide range of styles. In 2017, the brand reopened its flagship Tokyo store, tapping architect Hiroshi Naito to design a new glittering facade whose 40,000 tiny glass plates are meant to evoke the movement of the ocean as they catch the light. The place where Mikimoto had his legendary success over a century ago is now known as Mikimoto Pearl Island and includes a museum on his life and pearls. A highlight is the “Boss’s Necklace,” which was the first made by Mikimoto and is the model for all the brand’s classic strands that have followed.
Find Mikimoto pendant necklaces, choker necklaces and a range of other jewelry on 1stDibs.
- Mikimoto Sixties Mod Pearl-Set Gold BroochBy MikimotoLocated in Litchfield, CTCirca 1960s, 14k, by Mikimoto, Japan. A sublime example of Mikimoto jewelry, this elegant Sixties pop art brooch is set with perfectly matched Akoya pe...Category
Vintage 1960s Japanese Brooches
MaterialsPearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Antique Gold and Pearl French BraceletLocated in Litchfield, CTCirca 1890s, 18k, France. This antique French bracelet features stylish handmade filigree elements. Dressed up or down, the look is Gallic Town...Category
Antique 1890s French Victorian Link Bracelets
MaterialsPearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Gilbert Albert Modernist Diamond and Pearl Set Gold RingBy Gilbert AlbertLocated in Litchfield, CTCirca 19970s, 18k, Gilbert Albert, Genève, Switzerland. From the catwalk at Fashion Week to the Art museum Gala, Gilbert Albert's work sets the style for any moment of fashion. Thi...Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Fashion Rings
MaterialsDiamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold
- Spectacular Diamond and Pearl-set Gold EarringsLocated in Litchfield, CTCirca 1960s, 18k, Swiss. These diamond and pearl earrings are breathtaking. The look is devastatingly feminine, a white diamond classic, think Grace Kelly! Their sophisticated unst...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Lever-Back Earrings
MaterialsWhite Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
- Magnificent Pearl and Diamond Set Gold Flower BroochLocated in Litchfield, CTCirca 1960s, 18k, French. This stunning jeweled flower is exquisite! Its compelling look is the result of sublime design work underscored by meticulous fabrication. The nuanced yello...Category
Vintage 1960s French Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Pearl, White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Sixties Turquoise and Diamond EarringsLocated in Litchfield, CTCirca 1960s, 18k, Swiss. Captivating in their elegance, color, and sparkle, these gorgeous earrings feature Persian turquoise surrounded by 2.0 carats of superb diamonds (G color, VS...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Stud Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Mikimoto Pearl Stud PES601KBy MikimotoLocated in Wilmington, DEMikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud in 18k Yellow Gold. Quality A Pearl Size: 6-6.5mm PES601KCategory
2010s Stud Earrings
- Mikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud PES601WBy MikimotoLocated in Wilmington, DEMikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud in 18k White Gold. Quality A Pearl Size: 6-6.5mm PES601WCategory
2010s Stud Earrings
MaterialsCultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Mikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud PES602KBy MikimotoLocated in Wilmington, DEMikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud in 18k Yellow Gold. Quality A+ Pearl Size: 6-6.5mm PES602KCategory
2010s Stud Earrings
MaterialsCultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Mikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud PES602WBy MikimotoLocated in Wilmington, DEMikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud in 18k White Gold. Quality A+ Pearl Size: 6-6.5mm PES602WCategory
2010s Stud Earrings
MaterialsCultured Pearl, 18k Gold
- Mikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud PES603KBy MikimotoLocated in Wilmington, DEMikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud in 18k Yellow Gold. Quality AA Pearl Size: 6-6.5mm PES603KCategory
2010s Stud Earrings
MaterialsCultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Mikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud PES801KBy MikimotoLocated in Wilmington, DEMikimoto Akoya Cultured Pearl Stud in 18k Yellow Gold. Quality A Pearl Size: 8-8.5mm PES801KCategory
2010s Stud Earrings
MaterialsCultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold