Do you know where real pearls originate? Some people think that pearls are manufactured, while others think they are formed in a clam under the sea. Japanese inventor, Kokichi Mikimoto invented the cultured pearl. He discovered the culturing pearl process, and started business crafting and selling pearls in 1893. His goal was to adorn the necks of all of the world’s women with pearls. He overcame the adversity of the Japanese fear of foreign influences, and of numerous failed experiments to produce the perfect pearl. There are no misshapen pearls from the Mikimoto brand—it is forbidden.
While Mikimoto’s trade secret is through the cultured pearl, real pearls are formed inside a clam shell. When you introduce a particle into the clam in just the right way, hundreds of thousands of layers of a substance called “nacre” form over it, which results in a lovely pearl. From the very bed the clams sit on, Mikimoto’s employees keep the entire process flowing seamlessly so the pearls that are sold are the best pearls in the world. The fact that this quest for perfection is still practiced today is why pearls are so popular. Well-crafted pearls are a very rare feat.
Pearls carry the weight of a stone, with more of a glowing, dense appearance. A properly cultured set of pearls can literally take years to fashion, weeks to harvest, days to sort into the appropriate color category, and hours to properly assemble a piece of jewelry for you or someone special. While this sort of attention to detail used to only be merited by royalty, now everyone can enjoy them.









