[theamericanlotus]

Hello all, I am trying to get some real world feedback on the goldens. I own a jewelry store and am getting more into pearls. I travel to asia every year to search for the south sea pearls and other products as well.
I have many contacts in indo, and personally go there as well myself. Many I come across claim to have there own farms, yada yada yada. It seems Atlas owns most the farms there from my research.
Do independant farmers sell and produce good quality goldens for local sale in Indo, or is it Like Philippines, export only? I dont seem to get alot of honesty from the dealers I have come across.
Thanks
Michael

[jshepherd]

I would not necessarily consider Atlas a big producer in Indonesia. I think they are quite small, actually.

Farmers do sell direct there, but everyone has their own farm, and no one really does. You will have the best luck finding someone with a good supply of what you are looking for and negotiating over the price. It does not matter who farms and who doesn't. The traders are buying from the farmers for much less than you would be able to anyway.

Regarding local selling, the product is for export. Very little would remain in the country, I am sure. This does not mean you cannot buy it there, however.

One last thing I think is important. If you are not planning to purchase a larger amount, just stay in Hong Kong. There are a lot of large SSP dealers there and you can get amazing deals if you hit at the right time. It is like buying a car just before the end of the month - quotas to make, goods coming in, goods need to go out.

[theamericanlotus]

Thanks Jeremey for the info. My store is very specialty and I sell my pearls mostly with a story behind it. Somewhat like selling art. I am a fine art photographer and also use my world travels for producing new images for my gallery. Yes a mix of Pearls and Fine art.
I have seen some of your amazing videos on the net about Zhuji so am researching the photographic possibilities of the Zhuji area, and plan to maybe take a look this winter.
Some Indo contacts I have been making sell pearls by the Kilo, is this the norm in the purchasing of pearls, or just for large quantity buying? I am mostly selling fresh water chinese at this time, but want to slowly add some SS to build my arsenal.
Am I on the right track? My store is in a summer only tourist town, so a very niche market, but gladly I am getting a good response to my pearls.
Thanks again
Michael

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by theamericanlotus

My store is very specialty and I sell my pearls mostly with a story behind it…My store is in a summer only tourist town, so a very niche market, but gladly I am getting a good response to my pearls.

My view: Millions are spent every day 'telling the story' of SS pearls. While perhaps a more dubious business decision in and of itself, exotic naturals (abalone, conch, etc) might be worth exploring, as well as being more complementary in terms of variety and style. As you state that Chinese Freshwaters are going well, you already have a good base, and with reputed quality levels approaching all but the best SS. Another tie-in with the art is the objet d'art sculptural applications that best suit many of the more baroque, especially abalone, pearls.

It would depend of course upon market demographics (you don't say where you are located?), ie whether you can convince the seasonal crowd to shop outside their established comfort zones.

Steve
Seattle

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by theamericanlotus

My store is very specialty and I sell my pearls mostly with a story behind it. [...] Yes a mix of Pearls and Fine art.

Is there a web address as well? The description sounds awesome

[jshepherd]

Originally Posted by theamericanlotus

Thanks Jeremy for the info. My store is very specialty and I sell my pearls mostly with a story behind it. Somewhat like selling art. I am a fine art photographer and also use my world travels for producing new images for my gallery. Yes a mix of Pearls and Fine art.
I have seen some of your amazing videos on the net about Zhuji so am researching the photographic possibilities of the Zhuji area, and plan to maybe take a look this winter.
Some Indo contacts I have been making sell pearls by the Kilo, is this the norm in the purchasing of pearls, or just for large quantity buying? I am mostly selling fresh water chinese at this time, but want to slowly add some SS to build my arsenal.
Am I on the right track? My store is in a summer only tourist town, so a very niche market, but gladly I am getting a good response to my pearls.
Thanks again
Michael

If you are adding a story to the pearls, it is a great idea to source the pearls yourself as you are considering. Having pearls with a story really enhances the perceived, and very often the value of the pearls.

South Sea pearls are not sold by the kilo. In wholesale trading they are universally negotiated by momme or kan. A single momme is 3.75 grams, and a kan is equivalent to 3.75 kilo. Kan is only used when discussing very large, mixed lots - often used for total production figures. For the most part lots are purchased by momme.

If you are starting small with South Sea, look for small lots with mixed sizes and qualities. If you need only a few pieces and purchase by selection, be prepared to spend quite a bit more per piece than otherwise.

[theamericanlotus]

I have been searching villages and outlying areas, and must admit that finding the "deal" is a difficult process. i find these people try to get a higher price than if I were to go to LA. Not sure where they get their ideas. I recently landed in Palawan and scoured the village for days untill a few women brought me their private stash. i was not impressed and they wanted typical major city prices.
many try to peddle obvious Chinese fresh water as well and try to say local.
I am working some local contacts in Indo, Philippines and Thailand at the moment. So far the SS pearls are like some kind of Indiana Jones mystery diamond.
Seems the SS's just travel around the markets.
Either way, got my camera at my side. www.ourayphotography.com
Spent 10 days in Philippines and returned with a whopping 4 loose SS.
Hoping to find that village link someday.

[perlas]

I just looked for south seas in Palawan 2 weeks ago and there's not really much being sold there locally. I've seen south seas sold by the piece and it makes me think that these are being sneaked from the farms since the nacre is so thin. I even went to the market to check some golden south seas but didn't like the pearl surface of the lots that I saw, although the luster of some are really good.

I'm afraid that sellers in the Philippines will trying to raise the prices for foreigners twice or thrice compared to the prices they give the locals. But try to negotiate it down.

[daninjt]

If you are looking for SSP in Indo, we have 2 farm sites in Bali and would be happy to talk to you. We set up about 3.5 yrs ago and have recently pulled out our first harvest.

The farms are run by 2 Australian guys, so communication should not be a problem.

If you are interested, send me a PM.

Cheers,

Dan

[Kevin Canning]

some nice dark bronze colors there Dan, are those all untreated?

[daninjt]

Yes, they are untreated. As this is our first harvest from oysters we bought rather than those we spawned ourselves, the colours are a bit all over the place.

We do nothing to the pearls other than tumble polish them.

[jshepherd]

Are you working with Taylor? What part of Bali? Are the shells 100% hatchery or are you using any wild stock? If hatchery, are you doing any selective breeding to darken the mantle like Jewelmer?

[Ashley]

Those really are some gorgeously saturated colors! Love the satiny luster...

[daninjt]

Sorry, I dont know Taylor.

We spawn all our own shell. We are aiming for white on white for all our operations, however when starting out we had to buy shell so you end up with a mixed bag, in terms of colour and quality,for the first harvest.

Hopefully the harvests from here on get better and better in terms of colour, size, lustre, etc, as we improve the quality and colour of the shell we spawn and develop our husbandry to suit the sites we have.

We have on site on the west coast of Bali and another on the east coast. Both are about 3 hrs drive from Kuta/Denpasar.

[jshepherd]

Dr. Joseph Taylor is from Atlas South Sea Pearl Ltd in Bali. He works with George Snow. I believe they do seeding, hatchery, and research. The growing area is the south east side.

So you are growing white on white, in Indonesia? The colors shown in your photo look quite good for golds as well.