large chinese akoyas

[mikehrz]

i've read several times about how large akoyas are almost exclusively japanese. why is this? what is it about chinese pearl farms that results in most of their production being the smaller diameter pearls?

[jshepherd]

It is completely due to the hatcheries. The oysters are too small to nucleate with 7mm+. This is changing - slowly but surely. I have seen a few lots 8.5mm and larger, but the prices are actually higher than Japanese. I forsee that the Japanese farming industry will completely give way to China in the next 5 years.

[jerin]

Jeremy,

will that mean that endconsumers in the future have to expect to pay higher prices for Chinese Akoya pearls than for Japanese Akoyas of the same size and quality?

And if so - is this depending on the production cost for the Chinese hatcheries or simply due to the (future)fact that there will be no more Japanese Akoyas on the market to be had, i.e. no competition from Japan and/or other countries?


Regards

Inge Jernberg

[purepearls]

Dear Inge,
Actually, the opposite is more likely to happen. Right now, Chinese pearl prices for smaller pearls are much less than Japanese pearls for the same size and quality. Once the Chinese farmers get more proficient at producing larger Akoya pearls, prices will come down for the larger pearls. The prices are high right now because they are more difficult for the Chinese to produce. In terms of competition, they will still have the Japanese to compete with. The whole reason the Chinese pearl market is taking over is because of lower pricing. If they raised their prices, the Japanese pearl farmers would be right back in the game!