These pearls are available in the USA, purchasing directly from TriGem Designs. This is their website link:
http://www.trigemdesigns.com/gems/cortez-pearls.php
And another link of interest is the article published in Gems & Gemology (written by Lore Kieffert of the Swiss Gemological Institute in Basel...heard she just moved to New York's AGTA I think...):
http://www.gia.edu/gemsandgemology/1...cle_detail.cfm
The company is growing. They've recently inaugurated a new pearl shop in the Mexican Caribbean region.
They also produce beautiful Mabe pearls.