Story & Heritage

Dubai Mall Boutique
Dubai Mall Boutique

Mikura was founded in 1992 in Dubai by Chetan F Karani. A 3rd generation pearl merchant, Chetan Karani learnt the trade from the age of 15 from his father Fakirchand Karani. At that time the primary focus of the business was on importing cultured pearls from Japan and wholesaling them within the Middle East and Indian sub-continent. The pearls would be imported from the family’s base in the Japanese city of Kobe, set up by Chetan Karani’s grandfather during the 1950’s. For decades, Kobe remained a global hub for the cultured pearl industry, only having been eclipsed recently. 

Chetan Karani set up the Dubai office in 1982 and continued to grow the family’s pearl import business. Chetan Karani counted all the major jewelry manufacturers and retailers in the Middle East as his clients, yet he noticed that none of them offered much in the way of pearl jewelry. Partially this was due to ignorance; many jewelers didn’t understand cultured pearls and were averse to try something different. Seizing the opportunity, Chetan Karani decided the market was ready for something unique. In the 80’s, Dubai was a sleepy town that mainly relied on the re-export trade, but the early signs of the modern, cosmopolitan Dubai that exists today were beginning to appear.  

Karani knew that he could create a market for a fine jewelry brand that specialized in high quality pearls, but it was still a risk. The Gulf War had just ended, times were uncertain and Chetan Karani took a risk and founded Mikura Pearls. 

The rest as they say is history, the initial response from consumers and the industry was overwhelmingly positive and Mikura quickly grew across the region. Single-handedly, Chetan Karani was able to create a market for high quality pearl jewelry in the Middle East. 

Yet the most important aspect, especially for Chetan Karani is that today Mikura has become synonymous with quality and integrity. Values that will always stay at the core of the brand.