Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, where our company, Lucky & Co., Ltd., is headquartered, began its history as a city of gemstones about 1,000 years ago when raw quartz crystals were discovered on Mt. Kinpu, deep in the Mitake Shosenkyo Gorge.
In 1834 during the Edo period, Yasuke, a Kyoto jewel merchant and head clerk at Tamaya, came from Kyoto to Koshu to purchase raw stones. He taught the people of Konosakura Shrine in Kofu city the technique of polishing crystal with emery sand (garnet), and thus began the making of crystal balls.
Towards the end of the Edo period, most of the craftsmen moved to Kofu City, and their products began to be sold not only in Japan but also overseas.
In the early Meiji period, processing techniques and tools were developed, and in the mid-Meiji period, in addition to crystal balls and ornaments, cutting of crystal for jewelry began. Although there were problems such as a shortage of raw stones, efforts were made to import raw stones from overseas, and high-quality techniques were passed down.
In the early Showa period, polishing techniques made further advances and a variety of items such as rings, pendants, and brooches began to be made. As the economy developed, the area established a foundation as Japan's largest producer of jewelry.
Currently, there are over 1,000 companies, and one-third of Japan's jewelry is made in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, making it known as the largest production area in the country.
Lucky & Co., Ltd. was founded in 1937 by the first president, Minoru Mochizuki, for the purpose of wholesaling quartz crystal and agate under the name "Lucky Shokai Co., Ltd.", which was very innovative at the time.
Masao Mochizuki, the second president, retired from the nuclear power division of Toshiba and became president in 1967. Making use of his previous career experience, he was one of the first to adopt computers in the jewelry industry, where all inventory management had been done manually up until that point, and achieved a dramatic increase in business performance.
In 1988, the company established a factory in Dalian, China, where it succeeded in further increasing its production capacity and continues to operate stably to this day. With an eye on expanding overseas, the company also began hiring foreign staff early on, which is rare for a small and medium-sized company. Currently, about 10% of the company's employees are foreign nationals, working in a wide range of roles, enabling the company to develop and sell products on a global scale.
In 2004, third-generation president Naoki Mochizuki became president at the young age of 29. Like his father Masao, he brought his experience from his previous jobs at Pasona and Recruit to the jewelry industry, and explored the possibilities of jewelry with a new vision based on the themes of "Collaboration" and "Communication" and further utilization of IT.
In 2013, we renovated our Kofu headquarters and opened Lucky Open Factory , a facility where people can experience the joy of jewelry more easily.
1937 | Founded |
1941 | Company name changed to Lucky Shokai Co., Ltd. |
1974 | Established L Kogeisha Ltd. |
1979 | Completion of new Lucky Shokai building |
1980 | Your Kobo Co., Ltd. was established. |
1983 | Tokyo office opened |
1986 | Exhibited at the Basel Fair (Switzerland) Started the Lucky Creative Forum |
1987 | "ETSURO HIRAOKA" launched and exhibited at the Hong Kong Jewelry & Watch Fair |
1988 | Moved Tokyo office to Akasaka Established Dalian Zongxin Crafts Co., Ltd. in China |
1989 | CI introduced "Olivier Montague" launched |
1990 | Exhibited at the JA Show (USA) |
1991 | Completion of new building for L Kogeisha and Your Kobo |
2002 | "ME." private brand sales launched. Actress Tomosaka Rie appointed as image character. |
2004 |
"WITH ME" private brand sales start Naoki Mochizuki appointed as new president |
2005 | Purchased new building for Dalian factory in China |
2006 |
Standard & Poor's Corporate Rating: "AAA" (Triple A) Launch of private brand "L&Co. for men" Started operating me. official website Started operating jewelry marketplace membership-based wholesale website |
2011 | Started selling private brand "me.luxe" |
2012 | Started selling private brand "H bijouterie" |
2013 | April: Renovated head office building and opened "LUCKY OPEN FACTORY" |
2014 | Acquire 55 brand stores currently operating in department stores and make them into group companies |
2016 | "L&Co." opens at Isetan Shinjuku Store (now closed) |
2017 | "L&Co." ZOZOTOWN store opens |
2018 | Bridal shop "atelier L&Co." store opens in Kofu |
2023 | The company name will be changed to Lucky & Company, Ltd. on January 11, 2023. |