| Where (what islands?) are the Philippine pearls produced?
- Visayas, Palawan, Jolo, Mindanao.
Where marketed as both wholesale and retail? They do not seem to have an online reputation of their own. What pearls are actually Philippine?
- Gold, White and Black SSPs are native to the region. They are cultivating Akoyas and FW pearls too. However, the type of pearl depends on the region and the farm. Jolo and Tawi Tawi, for example, has mainly gold lip Pinctada Maxima. Jewelmer only sells gold/champagne pearls because for the same reason. Philippine pearl manufacters have excellent quality pearls [as does Indonesia, but no one talks about them either] and they wholesale Tiffany's, Mikimoto, Schoeffel and more - taking the back seat usually. But Jewelmer is now branding themselves and marketing manufacturing services too.
Do the pearls that get exported go to some other market where they lose their identity as Philippine pearls and become generic “South Sea” pearls? - Yes, usually, but that is the same with Myannmar, Vietnam, China and Indonesia.
Do some of these pearls stay in the Philippines?
Of course, Filipinos buy a lot of pearls too.
Where are the Philippine pearl manufacturing and wholesale markets located?
- All the showrooms are in Manila. All the farms are on the islands.
Can a local get a good deal on local pearls compared to what they would cost us here in the U.S?
Yes, on the retail end. There are only a few people authorized to sell from the big pearl farms. You'll have to be a designer, jewelry manufacturer or retail outlet in order to get wholesale prices.
How big are the Philippines domestic and export markets in pearls and or how fast growing?
- don't know
Good luck.  |