Tokyo · founded 1893 by Kokichi Mikimoto
Vintage Mikimoto
Mikimoto begins with Kokichi Mikimoto, who produced the first cultured pearl in Japan in 1893 and founded the company that made cultured pearls a global industry. Its jewelry is judged on the pearls themselves, by nacre thickness, luster, surface and matching, rather than on the name on the clasp.
The house
Mikimoto's work at Ago Bay produced the first cultured blister pearl in 1893 and later fully round cultured pearls, which changed the pearl trade permanently.
The company built a reputation on strict grading and on matched strands, which is the discipline that still separates its strands from ordinary cultured pearls.
Twentieth century Mikimoto jewelry pairs Akoya pearls with white gold or platinum settings, usually restrained, letting the pearls carry the piece.
How to recognize the work
- Deep, sharp luster rather than a chalky or milky surface
- Strands matched closely for size, color and overtone along their whole length
- Clean, well made clasps, often signed, with silk knotting between pearls
- Restrained settings that keep attention on the pearls
What the marks mean
- An M in a shell shaped logo on many clasps
- The word Mikimoto on the clasp or tag
- A metal standard such as 750, 18K or PT950 on the clasp
- Original boxes and certificates when they survive, which support but do not prove attribution
Buy carefully
Clasps can be swapped onto ordinary strands, so a signed clasp alone proves little. We assess the pearls themselves, describe nacre and surface honestly, and note when a strand has been restrung.
Common questions
Are Mikimoto pearls natural or cultured?
Cultured. The company's entire history is built on culturing pearls, which is a documented process, not a defect. Natural pearls are a separate and much rarer category.
How often should a pearl strand be restrung?
Every few years with regular wear, more often if worn against skin daily. We say whether a strand appears recently restrung and whether it is knotted between pearls.
Are you an authorized dealer?
No. We are an independent estate jeweler and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the house. We buy signed pieces from European estates, examine and photograph the signature, numbers and metal marks, and describe exactly what we can and cannot establish.
Shop the pieces
Signed Mikimoto in stock
Estate pieces signed Mikimoto, photographed mark and all. Each one is a single example.
Nothing matching this is available right now. Every piece is a single example and sells once, so this changes weekly. Browse everything in stock or ask our buyers to look for it.