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- The MIKIMOTO Group continues to uphold the traditions started by the Pearl King, Koichi Mikimoto, who had a passion for beauty and was enthusiastic about conducting research on it. As a member of the MIKIMOTO Group, MIKIMOTO COSMETICS continues to focus on pearls and cosmetics with a scientific eye. As we believe that true human beauty is founded on the beauty of the skin cells themselves, we concentrate on fundamental research, such as biotechnology and dermatology, in order to create basic cosmetics of high quality that strike a good balance among effectiveness, utility, and safety.
Pearls, which are loved by women all over the world, were originally a fortuitous product of nature. Koichi Mikimoto, who started out selling marine products and eventually became enamored with the attraction of natural pearls, wondered if he could produce that jewel of the sea himself. After many long years of arduous trial and error, he finally became the first in the world to succeed at pearl cultivation on July 11, 1893.
| 1858 | Koichi Mikimoto is born. |
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| 1888 | He begins his attempt to cultivate pearls. |
| 1893 | He successfully cultivates pearls (5 semicircular pearls) for the first time in world history. |
| 1896 | He obtains a patent for hemispherical pearl cultivation. |
| 1899 | The MIKIMOTO Pearl Store is opened on Namiki Street in Ginza, Tokyo. |
| 1905 | He succeeds in cultivating round pearls. |
| 1908 | He obtains a patent for spherical pearl cultivation. |
| 1940 | Pearl production and sales are halted due to a ban on luxury items. |
| 1943 | Mikimoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is established. Manufacturing and sales of pearl calcium as a pharmaceutical product begin. |
| 1951 | MIKIMOTO Pearl Island is opened. |
| 1954 | Koichi Mikimoto passes away. He was posthumously awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure. |
| 1963 | Conchiolin from pearls is successfully blended into cosmetics. |
| 1970 | Sales of MIKIMOTO COSMETICS begin. |
| 1985 | Koichi Mikimoto is selected as one of the "10 best inventors in Japan" to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the patent system. |
| 2000 | Koichi Mikimoto is selected as one of the "30 best financial leaders of the 20th century in Japan (according to a survey carried out by Nihon Keizai Shimbun)." |
| 2001 | MIKIMOTO is ranked as one of the world's luxury brands by Women's Wear Daily in a report titled, "WWD LUXURY, THE 100." |
| 2005 | MIKIMOTO COSMETICS GINZA opens. |
Mikimoto Cosmetics Ginza