Pearls : All Time Darlings
The birth of a pearl is truly a miraculous event. Unlike gemstones or precious metals that must be mined from the earth, pearls are grown by live oysters below the surface of the sea. Gemstones must be cut and polished to bring out their beauty, but pearls need no such treatments to reveal their loveliness. They are born from their mother oysters with a shimmering iridescence, luster and soft inner glow that are unlike any other gem on earth. A natural pearl begins it life as a foreign object, such as a parasite or piece of sand that by accident lodges itself in the oyster’s soft inner vitals where it cannot be expelled. In an effort to ease this irritant, the oyster’s body takes defensive action. The oyster begins to secrete a smooth, hard crystalline substance around the irritant in order to protect itself. This substance is called nacre. As long as the irritant remains within its body, the oyster will continue to secrete nacre around the irritant, layer upon layer. After sometime, the irritant will be totally encased by the silky crystalline coatings. The result - the lovely and lustrous gem called a pearl.
Pearls in History: The quest for pearls or pearl diving was one of the most dangerous of the occupations of the past. However, the 20th century turned a positive page in the history of pearls, with the introduction of ‘cultured’ pearls. It was in the 1600s that European scientists observed that a pearl is made whenever an oyster did not have sufficient strength to expel foreign matter stuck inside it. The progress of pearl science was slow, until T. Mikimoto, a Japanese dealer in seaweed and marine products, obtained his patent in 1908 on the method of inducing an oyster to produce a pearl. With his motto of adorning “every woman in the world with a pearl necklace” he was instrumental in making pearls affordable, within reach of the masses.
Megasthenes, a Greek traveler of the 4th century BC, notes that “the island of Taprobane was more productive of gold and large pearls than the Indias.” The colonial masters who ruled our country for 300 years exploited and made good use of the pearl resources in Sri Lanka. In fact, the profits from pearl fishery and the need of transporting the pearl harvest made the English, open up a road from Anuradhapura to Arippu as early as 1833. And it was in the late 1800s that Sri Lanka then known as Ceylon made a special link with the Western coast of Australia, due to pearls.
Thomas Bastian Ellies, a Sri Lankan from Galle who migrated to Australia was a well-known name in the history of the Western Australian pearling ports. Hailing from a family of jewellers, his experience and expertise was sought after by many a pearl trader of the times. The first Asian to own a fleet of pearl luggers, he became famous for his skill in pearl cleaning or skinning the pearls of blemishes and bringing out their true beauty.
What should you look for?
- 1. Luster: Luster is a combination of surface brilliance and a deep seated glow. The luster of a good quality pearl should be bright and not dull. You should be able to see your own reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky indicates low quality.
- 2. Surface: Cleanliness refers to the absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or cracks on the surface of a pearl. The cleaner the surface of the pearl the more valuable the gem.
- 3. Shape: Since cultured pearls are grown by oysters in nature. It is very rare to find a perfectly round pearl, which is more valuable. Baroque pearls, which are asymmetrical in shape, can be lustrous and appealing, and often cost less than round pearls.
- 4. Color: Cultured pearls come in a variety of colors from rose to black. While the color of a pearl is really a matter of the wearer’s preference, usually rose or silver/white pearls tend to look best on fair skins will cream and gold colored pearls are flattering to darker complexions.
- 5. Size: Cultured pearls are measured by their diameter in millimeters. They can be smaller than one millimeter in the case of tiny seed pearls, or as large as twenty millimeters for a big South Sea pearl. The larger the pearl, other factors being equal, the more valuable it will be. The average sized pearl sold today is between 7 and 7.5 millimetres.
PearlParadise.com
Founded in 1996, PearlParadise.com has grown into a multi-million dollar business without having to advertise. The company relies on happy, satisfied customers to generate more business. They draw clients exclusively by word of mouth and from magazine and newspaper articles written by journalists who discover and fall in love with our top quality pearls.
Our representatives are GIA certified pearl specialists who travel to pearl farms several times each year to negotiate face to face with the farmers. This enables PearlParadise.com to cut out all those other middlemen involved in importing and selling pearls. They personally monitor the quality of the pearl cultivation process, and we hold the exclusive harvesting rights to several pearl farms throughout the world. Their experts hand-pick the premium two to three per cent of every pearl crop, and since they contract for the best of each harvest on a high-volume scale (usually hundreds of thousands of pearls each year), they typically have over a million pearls in stock to choose from at any given time. As a result, their pearls are of the same fine quality as those sold in high-end jewellery stores. The cost of expensive retail outlets on Madison Ave and Rodeo Drive is cut since it’s a online business, and they are able to offer pearls at a fraction of the price of jewellery stores. In fact, these pearls are of such exceptional quality that they were selected for inclusion in the gift baskets presented to presenters and performers at the 76th and 77th Annual Academy Awards.
PearlParadise.com now boasts fourteen websites in countries around the world, including Canada, Germany, France, the UK, and Italy. Clients who live in the US, Asia, and Australia, also return time and time again to purchase from them. Pearls from PearlParadise.com can be tried free; they offer a ninety-day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee, but results shows that you fall in love with your pearls.
Jeremy Shepherd, founder and President of PearlsParadise.com is a passionate pearl collector, a GIA graduate, and one of the world’s most principled pearl experts. Mr. Shepherd is fluent in Japanese, Spanish, Chuuk (an obscure Micronesian language), and Berlitz trained in Mandarin Chinese, so he is able to negotiate with pearl farmers in their own language. He insists that every person who works at PearlParadise.com must be a certified GIA graduate who specializes in buying and grading pearls. Having these qualifications has made it possible for them to establish the same kind of sophisticated product-line, expertise, honesty and trust one would find in a fine jewellery store with a reputation of several decades.
They deal in all types of cultured pearls and several natural pearls. Their primary lines are Akoya, Freshwater, Tahitian, and South Sea. They also carry a selection of natural abalone, conch, penn, oyster, and clam pearls. The most popular pearls are classic white. These have been the pearls of choice for most women for hundreds of years. The most popular size and type is the 7.5mm Akoya pearl necklace.
Recently black Tahitian and golden South Sea pearls have also become very popular. These pearls are typically quite large, and until recently have been exceedingly expensive. With the recent drop in market prices, however, they have become much more popular. PearlParaside.com export pearls to nearly every country in the world. They have a strong presence in Europe, with offices in Germany, the UK, and France. Akoya and Tahitian pearls are their best sellers in Europe.
Until recently Akoya pearls have been the company’s best sellers. But as the quality of freshwater pearls has increased, freshwater pearls have taken a larger market share. Freshwater pearls have become nearly indistinguishable from Akoya in their shape and luster, yet they are much less expensive.
They manufacture every piece of jewellery that they sell. Necklaces and earrings are always in highest demand, accounting for more than 95% of their total sales. Demand for particular styles depend heavily on the demographic. They work with a lot of Hollywood celebrities, and these clients usually prefer the larger pearls, in strands. For the most part, however, people typically prefer strands of medium size pearls (in the 7-8mm range) in customary lengths of 16 inches and 18 inches.
Perles de Tahiti :
Tahitian pearls have created quite a stir in India and moving beyond the traditional beads and chains, it has inspired creation of bolder designs. The increasing demand is reflected in figures- the import of pearls during 2005-06, according to provisional figures released by The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has raisen to US$ 6.44 mn from US$ 5.52 mn the previous year. Some of this is used by the export sector, but a large part is also being consumed in the domestic market. The statistics show India has a good market for pearl jewellery which is also a result of the extensive promotional and marketing exercise undertaken by Perles de Tahiti, the organization set up by the Government of Tahiti to market Tahitian pearls world-wide
During the initial years of Tahiti’s foray into India they concentrated on bringing about awareness and proper knowledge about the unique gems they had to offer. There was an encouraging response from importers, dealers, designers and jewellers who were eager to partner with them.
Targeting new Indian markets:
Initially there were some reservations regarding the use of black pearls. But as the jewellers and consumers began to appreciate the excellence and special quality of our product, these soon receded to the background. The change in perception was also aided by the continuous communications using a variety of forms and materials. The launching of a national round of the International Tahitian Pearl Trophy design contest in India also helped them showcase and promote the creativity and skill of Indian jewellery designers, making pearls find a favor with them. In India, Tahiti had its first breakthrough in Mumbai, which is a more international city. It then quickly spread to other centres like New Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Two other important centres which are not too far behind in terms of demand are Chennai and Chandigarh. India’s position has moved up the ladder by several rungs in the last couple of years.
Indian pearl dealers are familiar with Tahitian pearls and many of them now participate actively in the International Pearl Auctions organized in Tahiti, Hong Kong and Kobe. The strong growth of the economy, a well-educated consumer base that has an exposure to international trends, and high levels of adaptability and acceptance are the other factors favorable to their growth.
The rate of growth in India cannot be called substantial so soon, but compared to other markets it’s fair and promising. Both India and China are big markets. But China also produces freshwater pearls and akoya, while in India there is no pearl production, so in a sense there’s no competition. At another level, among the Indian client group there is more loyalty and adherence to traditional values.
The other cities and towns like Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Cuttack, Vijaywada, Coimbatore, Cochin, Trivandrum, Goa, Gwalior, Nagpur, and Jaipur are other places identified by Tahiti as having great potential for growth. They have planned a lot of promotional activities for these places.
Indian Promotion Strategy & Demand :
Over the last four years, there has been an encouraging growth in the awareness and sale of pearls in general and Tahitian pearls in particular in the Indian sub-continent. Tahitian pearls are now popular among the fashion elite — Bollywood and TV celebrities, models, and leading corporate ladies like Aditi Gowitrikar, Smriti Irani, Neena Gupta, Achla Sachdeva, Mona Singh, Tina Ambani, Anu Ranjan, Tara Sharma. The demand spans major cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Jaipur, Kolkata. Jewellery using Tahitian pearls can be seen in major jewellery showrooms, stores and shopping malls like TBZ The Original, TBZ Nirmal Zaveri, Yogesh Jashnani, K.G. Popley & Sons, Prince Jewellers (Chennai), Oyzterbay, Tanishq, Ganjam, Bholasons (Delhi), Harison Jewellers (Delhi), Chandrani Pearls (Kolkata), Nemichand Bamalwa & P.C. Jewellers (Kolkata). They are also proving to be popular with diamond jewellery manufacturers. Exporters, domestic manufacturers and even some brands like M. Suresh & Co, Scintillating Jewellers, Peacock Jewellery, D’damas, Yogesh Jasnani, Poonam Soni, Rhea Nasta, and others are using Tahitian pearls to add value and complement their diamond jewellery. The demand in Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan, or Colombo in Sri Lanka is also growing. Colombo Jewellery, one of the well-known jewellery stores has been doing good business in Tahitian and other South Sea pearls.
American Pearl is the nation’s foremost source for premium quality pearls and online jewellery retailer. Trust, honor and integrity, along with an unwavering eye for beauty, American Pearl offers the highest quality pearls. American Pearl has a “one-of-kind” story, unlike the story of many e-commerce sites. The company traces its roots to an earlier time before the Digital Age changed our lives - long before the first PC, cell phone or Internet router was built. Buying directly from the source whether from Japan, Australia, China, Tahiti or Indonesia, American Pearl eliminates the middleman; thus, offering clients the finest and highest quality of pearls at a fraction of traditional store prices.
Founder Charlie Bakhash’s legacy continues after more than a half-century and combines not only jewellery expertise, but uncompromising ethics. When established in the 1950, Charlie’s approach was simple: provide the finest pearls at the best possible prices. This original robust philosophy continues to guide the family owned business and passion: to provide a global selection of the highest quality gems and the finest jewellery online, at the best prices available.
Charlie’s son, Eddie, took the reins of the family business in 1990, armed with the wisdom and experience that had been meticulously passed on to him by his father. It was Eddie who brought American Pearl & General Company into the Information Age by launching www.americanpearl.com.
Considered the cyberspace arm of American pearl importer, American Pearl is certainly not your fly by night Internet start-up that simply set up a website and considers themselves opened for business. With more than a half-century of jewellery expertise, customers continue to simply be unrivalled at the amazing high-grade pearl strands at the lowest prices available. What began as a tiny store front in the heart of the New York City’s diamond district, American Pearl has grown to become a trust international pillar in the pearl trade business and widely regarded as perhaps the most reliable and honest source of pearls anywhere in the world.
Today American Pearl & General Company is one of the oldest, largest and most reputable pearl importers serving North America, with sales in the millions. American Pearl is a long-standing member of The Jewellers Board of Trade; and, the same devotion that same level of attention and concern for every customer sale that Charlie displayed. That level of service has been duly recognized: on the basis of price, quality, and reputability, our Manhattan store is listed in New York Bargain Finders as the Number One source for pearls in New York City.
American Pearl is a pearl dealer in just about every category of cultured pearls available from White Australian South Sea Pearls, Black Tahitian South Sea Pearls, Japanese Akoya Cultured Pearls, Freshwater Pearls and Keshi pearls. Occasionally, upon special request, American Pearl will supply natural pearls. Within the beginning of the last century, the primary market for pearls was Japanese Akoya cultured pearls. As the inventors of the cultured pearl, Japanese pearl farmers and entrepreneurs exported their technology and know how to other pearl producing countries such as French Polynesia, Australia, Indonesia and China. As such, with each new country that was able to produce a unique pearl, an industry was born of unique pearls. Today, American Pearl is a market maker for white Japanese Akoya Cultured Pearls, natural color Black Tahitian cultured pearls, White Australian South Sea pearls and Golden Indonesian pearls. Each one of these categories of pearls shares an equal part of American Pearl’s overall supply and demand. Primarily, round pearls with very high luster and extremely clean surfaces are in demand as they represent truly investment grade pearls.
American Pearl export to numerous countries including The United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Belgium, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Brazil.
American Pearl’s primary revenue generator is South Sea pearl and Japanese Akoya.
Cultured pearls in the finer quality merchandise. American Pearl manufactures over 1,000 unique settings including rings, earrings, pendants and bracelets. In addition to their standard line of pearl jewellery, we often customize specific pieces based on our customers’ requests using the same finer jewellers that manufacture for the Finest jewellers in the world.
The vast majority of pearl jewellery that is in demand today is earrings to accessorize previously purchased necklaces. Rings come in second place as more and more people are wearing pearl rings as engagement rings. Larger, single pearls in strands or jewellery are much more fashionable and popular than clusters of smaller pearls which reflect a more conservative image as compared to single larger pearls.
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