Japanese merchant, Kokichi Mikimoto became the first person to culture pearls artificially. Establishing the cultured pearl industry in Japan, Mikimoto made pearls widely available for the first time. Today, Mikimoto pearls are on sale in shops and high-end department stores throughout the world.

Created in 1939 for display at the New York World's Fair, this replica Liberty Bell replica is made of 12,250 pearls and 366 diamonds. It is presently on display at the Pearl Museum on Mikimoto Pearl Island, Japan.