Selecting the ideal materials, conceiving the fitting design, perfecting the finish. And throughout this process, exacting the highest possible quality, to create jewelry of unmatched elegance. This is and always has been Mikimoto's approach. And by controlling the entire production process, Mikimoto has developed an original form of perfectionism. Mikimoto quality is the one and only reason our jewelry is admired and appreciated around the world. That quality is the source of our pride, and it is the foundation of our brand. Above all else, Mikimoto takes pride in the quality that emanates from everything we create. It is assured in each scrupulous step we take, and once again when we reach the final inspection. Motohisa Katayanagi, whose sharp eye can detect discrepancies of even a few tens of microns, explains: "My role is to determine to what extent the original drawing has been faithfully rendered in three dimensions, and whether the craftsman has been true to the designer's intentions as well as to the imperatives of Mikimoto style." For Mikimoto, the final inspection is far from a formality. It is the final assurance of the quality we promise our customers, and it is taken very seriously. A debate over a point of detail can often last hours. The product manager takes overall responsibility, intervening constructively between designer and craftsman, giving directions based on an acute sense of what a Mikimoto pearl or an article of Mikimoto jewelry must be. He becomes in effect the ultimate guardian of the integrity of that which is most precious to us: the Mikimoto style.