Hi everyone.
Has anyone any experience or comments about the pearl market in Guangzhou.
I'd be very glad for comments.

Also has anyone any uptodate information about Lake Kasumiga,I heard they had problems.

Thanks again
teeuk

[jshepherd]

Have not heard much on Kasumi lately. Also, I have never been to a pearl market in Guanzhou. Is this new? I have seen the area where all the stores are (a lot with pearls), but have never seen a true wholesale market there.

the guangzhou pearl market is a new pearl market, which has been built for just several years, and it's near the jade market, which has a long history. most of the products there are cheap, and there are wholesellers there. but i know that the factories are in my hometown. so the price there may more expensive than the factories.

When I was speaking with many of the freshwater pearl dealers at the gem show in Las Vegas recently most said they were purchasing the colored pearls in Guangzhou. I was wondering if they were referring to a big processor there or the June trade show. Any ideas?

[jshepherd]

I would say Guangzhou is a "stopping place" for a lot of freshwater pearls. There were several processing factories there, but even M&J has closed up shop. The place has just gotten to expensive to compete. Any pearls you find there would be satelite companies from Zhuji - just like Hong Kong.

Originally Posted by jshepherd

I would say Guangzhou is a "stopping place" for a lot of freshwater pearls. There were several processing factories there, but even M&J has closed up shop. The place has just gotten to expensive to compete. Any pearls you find there would be satelite companies from Zhuji - just like Hong Kong.

Just as Jshepherd said, Guangzhou is a bit like Hong Kong, or somewhat like Pearl City in Shanghai. Most of sellers there are middlemen,although a few of them are branches of companies in Zhejiang. Concerning Guangzhou is a big city in China and holds the well-known Cantong Fair each year, the business of pearls there is not bad. Quite a few overseas pearl dealers often directly place their orders in Guangzhou, especially for small quantity of the low-end pearl products or some finished pearl jewellery. However, FW pearls on sale in Guangzhou pearl market are all from Zhejiang and Jiangsu because of the absence of farms there. But actually it is a bit risky to buy pearls there. Many dearls are runing their business with loans, which means it is much likely to find some dealers disappear in the following year.

Anyway, Guangzhou is still worthwhile for buying pearls if you don't want a bulk buy.


Susannah Xu
from Pearl & Gem City in Suzhou
susannahxu80@hotmail.com

I am in Guangzhou City. Because Guangzhou is near by HK, now more and more dealers go to Guangzhou,not HK to purchase not only FW & akoya pearls,but also other jewelry. Guangzhou is becoming actual jewelry center in China.
I often go to Beijing,Shanghai,Zhejiang to research the pearl market, In fact in Beijing the pearl retail business is better than the wholesale business, even several big pearl wholesalers also purchase the pearl materials from the pearl farmers in Zhejing,Hunan province. In addition Beijing dealers also go to Guangzhou to purchase other jewelry,say coral,turquoise,jade,gemtones for resell. The conditions are the same even in Zhejiang. Zhuji in Zhejiang is the biggest trade center of FW pearls, not the biggest origins of FW pearls.

Anyway each place has its advantages and disadvantages. In anywhere you can look for your ideal supplier.

[jshepherd]

An actual jewelry center or an actual pearl center? I cannot see it becoming anything like Hong Kong. Does Guangzhou actually have a pearl market now? If so, where is it? The only dealers I have ever seen there were more or less retail, and I felt the wholesale traders were over priced for China (HK pricing).

I heard about there is a building full of jewerlry factories there, not only pearls. I agreed with topearl that there are many jewerlry, materials, and findings suppliers there. I believe it is not a pearl city likes Zhejiang. During my visits in Zhejiang, many factories told me that they bought their supplies like clasps, theads, corals, shells, ...... etc. from Guangzhou. Also, I learned that more and more pearls suppliers in Guangzhou now.

One of the reasons for growing is because the costs of labor, goods, and rents are much lower in Guangzhou than Hong Kong.

Many companies registerd their business in Hong Kong but conduct business in Guangzhou.

I believe that Fashion jewelry with pearls are most produced in Guangzhou.