[Caitlin]

I wasn't sure whether to put this in news or in fashion.......
FRENCH POLYNESIA: Mike Varney Becomes Latest Tahitian Pearl Prince
http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=23157

Saturday: July 8, 2006
(Tahitipresse) - Eighteen-year-old Mike Varney, the "Prince of the Ocean", has joined the ranks of the Tahitian Pearl Princes, a group of six athletes who are worldwide ambassadors for the Tahitian cultured pearl.
All wearing the "Tahitian Link", the Tahitian Pearl Princes are part of Perles de Tahiti's international campaign promoting entry level Tahitian pearl jewelry in a market of young people from ages 15 to 35 who live in a universe of surfing, skiing or boarding and now kayaking.
The aim is to reach a young audience with unisex Tahitian pearl jewelry available as neck, wrist and ankle leather cords, each featuring a single Tahitian pearl. That is the Tahitian Link concept, which offers a generic series of Tahitian pearl jewelry worn as a sign of identification available in thousands of varieties.
Varney joins Hira Teriinatoofa, the Prince of the Waves, an international surfing champion; Robert Teriitehau, Prince of the Wind, a five-time world windsurfing champion; Rodolphe Vinh Tung, Prince of the Lagoon, a three-time European wakeboard champion; Tamatoa Zebrowski, Prince of the Snow, a junior snowboard world champion; and Tuterai Montaron, Prince of the air, a kite surfing champion.
Varney has a long list of awards in both kayak and outrigger canoe racing in French Polynesia. On the world scene, he was on the world champion canoe paddling team in the junior category for three different events during world speed races held earlier this year in New Zealand.
In kayak competition, Varney was junior champion in the King of the Harbor World Cup held last year in New Zealand and in the Volvic-Mitsubishi Motors World Cup held last year in Tahiti. He looks forward to participating in upcoming international competitions, such as the French championship in France, the World Cup in Africa and the World Cup in Australia.
Varney has been participating in kayak competitions for the past 18 months, but has raced in outrigger canoe competitions for the past 4.5 years.

[jshepherd]

I love it. I really expect to see Tahitians on leather go mainstream vey soon!

[Cam Hatch]

Great concept and their choice of Prince's is nothing to complain about!! However I'm not sure many 15-35 year old testosterone filled extreme-sporting males will be aspiring to be called a "Pearl Prince" ?!?!?!

[Satine De La Courcel]

Hi Cam,

Pearl are revered by women AND men moreso in other regions of the world than they are here in North America. But I have a feeling in the next few years that may change I just hope it is NOT a fad! Men look great in pearls!

[Caitlin]

Those Tahitian men make pearls look good, don't they?

[Satine De La Courcel]

Why Yes, Yes they do!!!!

[purepearls]

I think it's genius marketing for a younger age group! I love it!

[Kevin Canning]

Here is a link to the website with more info on the campaign:

http://www.tahitianpearlprinces.net/

I don't think anyone can argue that Tahitian pearls on men aren't ready for the mainstream.

[Cam Hatch]

OK, I take it back. If I was a 15-35 year old testosterone-filled-extreme-sporting male I would DEFINATELY want to be a Pearl Prince! They have definately done a good job with the website, videos etc and after seeing it all, the name fits really well.

Apart from the link in this thread, has anyone else seen any marketing on the Pearl Princes?

[julianner]

No, not on the Pearl Princes, but when I was in Tahiti recently people were keen to show me some magazine articles about the newly-appointed 'Tahiti Pearl Ambassadress', Nancy Morgan. There were photos of her adorned in the most extraordinary 'scarf' of pearls.

You can see her and it at: http://www.perlesdetahiti.net/site/en/1001.html

[Caitlin]

I hope to see more of Nancy Morgan and her pearl scarf.........I think hiring her is a great idea.

BTW the pearl scarf is just a baby compared to the one photographed for Strack's book Pearls on page 141. A Bahraini princess or pearl ambassadoress is shown on that page wearing a pearl covering made out of the equivalant of four of that Tahitian scarf necklace. The Bahraini one is also combined with gold medalions and shoulder pieces into sections. So this idea has a tradition behind it already- and may Tahiti make something like this scarf into a National Treasure and a National Symbol.

The Bahraini necklace is based on the traditional 7 strand Musharifa, a tradtional necklace in Bahrain.

[effisk]

I fancy myself as a testosterone filled extreme-sporting male in the age range Cam Hatch mentioned, but I don't see myself wearing one of these necklaces with a dark pearl.

I'd rather have a necklace with a very bright gold pearl from the Philippines. 12mm would be a minimum.

I have seen a brand promoting that kind of jewelry (tahizea). The brand is cited on the tahitian pearl princes website. It was during the nautical fair (salon nautique) in Paris last december. Part of the fair is dedicated to "extreme sports", that's where their booth was.

Mainly baroque pearls, lower quality than what I usually see in jewelries, and still fairly expensive.

Jeremy, do you intend to market such necklaces in a near future?

Now for those who have doubts about my testosterone level, here's proof.

[Caitlin]

They need to add you to that list of Pearl Princes You'd look great wearing a bright gold pearl.

[perlas]

effisk,

i really don't think a lot of men fancy wearing a golden pearl when most are shying away from the tahitians..and i'm assuming you can wear a round one?

i think the baroques are used to make the pieces more musculine.

but if you ever wear one, i admire your guts in this stereo-type world. i'm sure you can pull it off though.

how about some light coloured tahitians? this is more like between the dark coloured tahitians and the golden south seas.

[effisk]

Originally Posted by perlas

i think the baroques are used to make the pieces more musculine.

I believe Perles de Tahiti created that market to get rid of the lower quality pearls. The target is not educated, and probably doesn't care for A quality pearls, which is fair enough. I'd be very annoyed to scratch or lose such a valuable piece.

Originally Posted by perlas

how about some light coloured tahitians? this is more like between the dark coloured tahitians and the golden south seas.

For some reason I think a golden pear from the Philippine or a silver one from Australia would be a better fit with my complexion. I find the tahitians too dark.

I hope my wife doesn't read the forum or she will ask herself questions