Kokichi Mikimoto and the Globe
Kokichi Mikimoto had a large globe in his room and when guests would come to see him, he would often spin the globe and say, "I go around the world everyday!'' Thus, the globe symbolizes his philosophy; his global view of the pearl industry.

The global enviroment is one of the largest matters of concern for us in the 1990's. Thus, the Pearl Globe was completed to enhance our awareness of this concern.
All of Mikimoto's finest workmanship is found in this globe with its unique design and ornamentation, making it like no other globe ever made before.
The globe itself is a silver ball, 33cm in diameter. It is covered mainly by pearls, but precious stones and metals are also used. The bodies of water are made of pearls and the continents are formed with 22k gold. Each of the 12,541 pearls is mounted on pins protruding from the globe. 377 rubies like the equator and 373 diamonds indicate the ecliptic. The "Aurora" adorned with a 13mm South Sea Pearl, eight 9mm pearls, 339 diamonds, and plutinum rests on the North Pole.
At first glance the globe appers unstable, but when viewed from different angles, it expresses, itself in different ways.
The arm connecting the Pearl Globe to the base is made of bronze and inclines at the same angle as the earth's axis. It displays the twelve zodiac constellations inlaid with pearls and pure gold through a technique called the high relief inlay. This effectively gives them a three dimensional appearance.
The base is made of bronze. Each side of the twelve-sided base displays a different Japanese flower enbossed in copper and set into the base, signfying the twelve mouths of the year as follows.