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Originally Posted by jshepherd The problem with the chocolates is the way they are processed. It probably would not matter, but they are very hot right now thanks to designers like Erica Courtney. This also makes the business big money.
There are two types of chocolate Tahitian pearls. Those that have had color added, and those that have had color removed. The original chocolates are of the color-removed variety. The copycats are those that have had color added. They say the color-added pearls often come out of China, but they are coming out of Japan as well. |
I agree entirely with Jeremy...ANYTHING you do to a Pearl is a treatment, if you give or take (a tit or a tat) is no different. And the real issue behind this is DISCLOSURE. People -customers- deserve the right to KNOW what they purchase.
Once more, talking about the movie "Blood Diamonds" (someone mentioned it in the forum) and let us say -for the sake of an example- that if you believe 10% of what is depicted in the movie is true (I've heard some people in the industry say that the movie is a "sanitized" and "light" version of what really happens) and you are in the process of buying diamond jewlery and ask a question like: "Are these blood diamonds?" and the answer is "YES". How would you feel as a customer? Bad? Really baaad???
So, now let us turn this scenario upside down...you are buying pearls and you ask: "Are the Pearls treated?" and the answer is "NO", but then -eventually- you find that THEY ARE TREATED (and in some instances, the pearls ARE Faux!!!)...well, people FEEL CHEATED.
Some Customers demand to know EVERYTHING about their Gemstones -not only about treatments- such as: if the gem was obtained using an environmentally safe manner, if child labor was involved, if the company that produces the gems gives back to the local community, etc. For these customers there is a good alternative in the Fair Trade Gems Protocols, but all customers should DEMAND Full Disclosure. This is our Right as Customers.