Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Tanaka Kikinzoku Retail introduces a new 4mm wide middle-fold clasp for its pure gold Kihei chains, launching July 17, 2026. This development enhances both security and design, catering to growing demand for wearable, asset-backed jewelry.
Tanaka Kikinzoku Retail Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Ginza, Chuo-ku; President and CEO: Kazukazu Tanaka), a precious metal specialty store, will launch new products on July 17, 2026, featuring a newly developed 4mm wide “middle-fold clasp (double blade)” for pure gold Kihei chains.
In recent years, pure gold jewelry has gained attention from a wide range of generations as an item that combines asset value with everyday wearability. For pure gold Kihei chains, demand for slim designs is particularly increasing. This new series features a newly developed 4mm wide middle-fold clasp, which was previously difficult to achieve in pure gold, and is now applied to slim Kihei chains. In addition to the asset value inherent in pure gold, the products emphasize comfort and beauty, offering a new choice in Kihei jewelry.
Online Shop URL: https://shop.ginzatanaka.co.jp/
Tanaka Kikinzoku has been developing various products that leverage the appeal of pure gold, focusing on high-asset-value Kihei chains and coin jewelry. Recently, as interest in pure gold jewelry grows, Kihei chains are also required to offer a wider range of designs and specifications. Among these, the middle-fold clasp is popular for its clean appearance, but pure gold is more difficult to process compared to K18, and miniaturizing the clasp part, which requires strength, has been a major technical challenge. Previously, the minimum size for pure gold clasps was 5mm wide, limiting their use in slim Kihei chains.
Therefore, the company began development about three years ago, and after repeated prototyping and verification, succeeded in commercializing a 4mm wide middle-fold clasp, unprecedented in pure gold. This allows the middle-fold clasp to be used on slim Kihei chains, further expanding product variations.
The middle-fold clasp (double blade) used in this product is an original specification that balances functionality and beauty.
Newly developed 4mm wide middle-fold clasp for pure gold Kihei chains:
– Achieves a clean appearance with a design that minimizes the number of parts
– Uses an auxiliary hook (double blade) inside the clasp to ensure high holding force
– Each clasp is individually fine-tuned to achieve a satisfying “click” locking feel
Furthermore, manufacturing this extremely small 4mm clasp is highly challenging. The company developed a dedicated mold that simultaneously performs punching and bending processes. To preserve the unique properties of pure gold, delicate brazing techniques using low-melting-point solder are employed, realized through advanced craftsmanship.
[Left] Pure Gold Kihei Necklace (6-sided cut double) – Tax-included reference price: ¥1,454,240
Weight: approx. 28.3g / Length: approx. 50cm / Chain width: approx. 4.4mm / Middle-fold clasp (double blade) width: approx. 4mm
[Right] Pure Gold Bracelet (6-sided cut double) – Tax-included reference price: ¥573,400
Weight: approx. 10.6g / Length: approx. 18cm / Chain width: approx. 4.4mm / Middle-fold clasp (double blade) width: approx. 4mm
[Reference product, no image] Pure Gold Kihei Necklace (2-sided cut) – Tax-included reference price: ¥1,176,080
Weight: approx. 26g / Length: approx. 50cm / Chain width: approx. 3.2mm / Middle-fold clasp (double blade) width: approx. 4mm
[Reference product, no image] Pure Gold Bracelet (2-sided cut) – Tax-included reference price: ¥466,040
Weight: approx. 9.6g / Length: approx. 18cm / Chain width: approx. 3.2mm / Middle-fold clasp (double blade) width: approx. 4mm
*Tax-included reference prices are calculated based on gold retail price of ¥24,400/g (tax included) as of June 2026.
*Product prices (tax included), product information, and store information are subject to change without notice.
Continuing with the concept of “Gold, More Freedom,” the company aims to deliver “heart-pounding moments” through various forms of enjoyment: owning, wearing, viewing, using, and gifting.
Since its founding in 1885 (Meiji 18), Tanaka Kikinzoku has been active in a wide range of business areas centered on precious metals. It boasts one of the top precious metal handling volumes in Japan and has long provided industrial precious metal products, as well as precious metal products for asset and jewelry purposes. As a group of precious metal specialists, domestic and international group companies collaborate in manufacturing, sales, and technology development to offer products and services. Tanaka Kikinzoku Retail Co., Ltd., as part of Tanaka Kikinzoku, handles the precious metal retail business.
[About Tanaka Kikinzoku Retail Co., Ltd.]
In 1930, Tanaka Shoten (now Tanaka Kikinzoku Group Co., Ltd.) took over the jewelry business from Yamazaki Shoten (now Tanaka Kikinzoku Retail Co., Ltd.). Tanaka Kikinzoku Retail Co., Ltd. operates historic and traditional precious metal stores, offering high-quality jewelry and crafts to add brilliance to individual lifestyles. The company plans and sells design-rich, high-asset-value jewelry and crafts using master craftsmanship on high-quality precious metals like gold and platinum. At its directly managed stores nationwide, it provides precious metal services linked to customers’ lives, including sales of bullion and coins for those who wish to hold gold or platinum as assets, a precious metal jewelry buyback service “RE:TANAKA,” and a gold accumulation plan “Tanaka Kikinzoku Comprehensive Account.”
[Directly Managed Stores]
Ginza Main Store, Yokohama Motomachi Store, Sendai Store, Nagoya Store, Shinsaibashi Store, Fukuoka Nishitetsu Grand Hotel Store
On November 21, 2025, store names changed from “Ginza Tanaka” to “Tanaka Kikinzoku.” For details, please refer to the release announced on July 31, 2025: https://www.ginzatanaka.co.jp/news/uploads/2025/07/20250731_tenpomei_FHP.pdf
