From the earliest days of his company, Kokichi Mikimoto recognized the importance of jewelry design. Researchers were dispatched to the U.S. and Europe to study design and manufacturing techniques. The reference materials and actual pieces they brought back to Japan were used to train jewelry designers in cutting-edge Western design and manufacturing skills, laying the foundation for modern jewelry production in Japan. Kokichi Mikimoto spent decades developing new interpretations of traditional Japanese motifs for aesthetically pleasing pearl jewelry, skillfully blending traditional Japanese metalworking craftsmanship and European manufacturing techniques to create the distinctive MIKIMOTO style.