[pearlshoppe]

I ran across this and thought others might be interested in reading it. I didn't realize Dubai was so interested in resurrecting their place in the world of pearls.http://arabia.ndtv.com/Story.aspx?pa...20080066508...

I am really crappy at attachments

[judimcc6]

To whom would the Dubai Pearl Exchange be marketing this festival?

[Caitlin]

To sheiks, moguls, CEOs, royalty, politicians, movie and other stars, the top 1% of wealthy people, and other collectors. I also think they want to help marketing strategies for top of the line jewelers.

I think they want to be a Middle East version of Hong Kong or at least reestablish a pearl center in the most ancient Persian Gulf traditions. Unlike Bahrain, they will allow cultured pearls, esp SSP and the creme of the Tahitians.

I think they will have speakers to educate folks on various aspects of pearls, then when they leave the lecture rooms, they are going to see mountains of pearls available on which to apply their new found knowledge.

I just made the above up, but it comes from reading and experience.

Let's hear the real skinny!

[pearlshoppe]

They announced "the launch of Pearls of Dubai, an integrated pearl centre that would include a pearl farm and retail destination." Sorry, but it just seems to me an attempt at promoting their own new high end retail store in the name of global pearl industry concerns.

[judimcc6]

I have read that they are quite serious about starting their own pearl farming industry. It seems that Dubai would like to be the center of the world...So, would we assume that they are trying to glean knowledge from the most reliable and knowledgeable of the industry? I also gather that it wouldn't be a good adventure to try to get in the Festival! But then again...

[effisk]

There's a national geographic video about a pearl farm in the gulf somewhere out there. Lemme find that

[effisk]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...-video-ap.html

I think it has been cited by someone on the forum earlier this eyar.

[pearlshoppe]

It's an interesting video. I noticed they had to partner with Japan to make it work, and the 13mm pearl they showed was beautiful but is that size the norm to be expected?

[laurenb]

Poster? Think big, people! A TRAILER. It's doubly unfortunate that the "voice of god" Don LaFontaine passed away, because I can hear it in my mind's... ear?

"In a WORLD without nacreous calcifications, ONE MAN... well, a few men, and a few women too... AND HUNDREDS OF salivating ADDICTS are on a MISSION. That mission (explosion)... is SHINY."

(montage including LBC members choking bad guys with half-knotted strands of pearls just in the nick of time. product placement by PowerPro, for when you need a garrote with style.)

Critics call "Pearl Hard or Dubai Trying" a "dazzling string of gems." Ebert and Roper say it's AA+ and "has orient, but we know that's not a legitimate category for evaluation."

[GemGeek]

Lauren, I give it five stars *****

[Mikeyy]

I am a bit confused. (Whats new) Is anyone actually trading in pearls at this event? Or is this only a conference about the industry for informational purposes?

[barbie biggs]

That's it Mikkey, bring us back to earth. Good question BTW.
barbie