If it weren’t for Kokichi Mikimoto, we might be living in a world without pearls. As a young man growing up in a seaside Japanese village, Mikimoto observed the diminishing supply of natural pearls ...

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. If it weren’t for Kokichi Mikimoto, we might be living in a world without ...

The pearl farmers who make a living from the sparkling waters of Mie Prefecture owe a huge debt of gratitude to the patience and perseverance of locally born Mikimoto Kōkichi (1858–1954). The oldest ...

Whilst natural pearls can only be produced by a freakish accident of mother nature, her artistry can be mimicked. This son of a noodle-maker replicated nature’s occasional masterpieces and paired them ...

The magical lustre of pearls has for centuries been a source of mystery and the subject of legend. The ancients believed pearls were teardrops of mermaids, or dew drops swallowed by oysters that swam ...

Mikimoto cuts the ribbon today on its New York City flagship, which boasts twice the space of its old location. Housed within the same building, 730 Fifth Avenue, the new, two-story Mikimoto store ...

Meanest of tricks is to tell a wealthy woman that the best way to clean her Oriental pearls is to swish them through boiling water. As the pearls heat they will lose their moonbeam lustre, may crack ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Kate Matthams Spencer is a Paris-based writer who covers jewelry. The Comme des Garçons x Mikimoto ad, shot by Kazumi Kurigami and ...