Mikimoto is the only luxury jeweller from Asia that was granted permission by Comité Vendôme to establish a boutique at Place Vendôme, which is home to many prestigious jewellery brands from around the world. Mirai Ichimura, executive director of Mikimoto Pearl Jewellery (HK) Ltd, shared how the company sustains the brand's dazzling status in the global marketplace.

How would you describe Mikimoto's position in the international jewellery market?

Mikimoto's founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, devoted his life to pearls and earned the title, the Pearl King. In 1893, he made history by successfully creating the world's first cultured pearls. The birth of a cultivated pearl is an important development for women. In the past, pearls exclusively adorned the hands of royals and aristocrats. Now the beauty of pearls can be enjoyed by women all over the world.

The brand celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2018. What does this signify?

It is a great honour to celebrate 125 years in the business. Mikimoto's longstanding history is proof of the invaluable efforts of our founder and those of our staff throughout the years. While we are celebrating this achievement, we are also taking great steps to overcome challenges as we aim to reach the next one hundred years.

Mikimoto spends an extraordinary amount of time crafting each jewellery piece. This pursuit of beauty is our non-negotiable promise as the inventor of cultured pearls. We want to demonstrate not only the quality of our pearls but also our exquisite craftsmanship as a high jeweller. In addition to our beloved pearl jewellery pieces, Mikimoto is expanding its high jewellery collection.

Why did Mikimoto appoint a brand ambassador from China?

The younger generation of consumers is the key to sustainability. Our brand has been well-received for decades and every jeweller around the world knows who we are and our history of pearl cultivation. But we also want to be known by millennials. We want to educate them on the splendour of pearls and show them the unique qualities of Mikimoto as a pearl jewellery brand. This is why we named Chinese actress Dilraba Dilmurat as our brand ambassador in Asia.

What is your business strategy for China?

China is definitely one of our key markets. With Dilraba's appointment as brand ambassador, we hope to receive more positive feedback from the market. We will also focus on other markets in addition to China. Mikimoto's pearl necklaces are sold in prime locations throughout the world: Tokyo's Ginza district, London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.