[Richard W. Wise]

Had an interesting conversation with Josh Humbert, Josh is the proprietor of the Kamoka Pearl Farm in the Tuamotu Islands www.kamokapearls.com , a far-flung windswept archipelago about 300 miles north of the capital island of Tahiti.
Josh’s farm is located on the atoll of Ahe located 350 miles north east of Tahiti in the Tuamotu Islands. Unlike Tahiti, which is a volcanic island, the Tuamotus are true atolls, flat ribbons of coral surrounding a large center lagoon. Conditions in this far off island group are perfect for the culturing of the Pinctada Margaritifera, the parent mollusk of the black pearl.
[/size] Read On GemWise blog: www.gemwiseblogspotcom.blogspot.com

[Mikeyy]

Is 20% a tailspin? Or a correction? Whats your take?

[Kevin Canning]

care to explain more in this thread?

[knotty panda]

More, please. Answer my dumb questions before I ask them.

[Richard W. Wise]

Kevin,

Check the blog for the rest of the story plus an interesting book review.

[Mikeyy]

Oh its a commercial

[salem]

Well then, I am sure Josh can take advantage of the private offer list we all jumped onto and offer them to use. We wouldn't want those smaller luscious pearls going to waste. Teehee

[Mikeyy]

Is the drop in price due to over harvest? Or is the economy to blame? Were prices artificially high due to disposable cash that isn't available today? I guess I was just wondering how you came to this conclusion.

[knotty panda]

Originally Posted by Mikeyy

Is the drop in price due to over harvest? Or is the economy to blame? Were prices artificially high due to disposable cash that isn't available today? I guess I was just wondering how you came to this conclusion.

Thanks for asking my questions, Mikeyy. I know pearl farming in general is full of fluctuations. For the record, my vote is for question number 3. Someone behind the curtain pulls the strings and it ain't the mighty Wiz. Although I disagree with the second part of question 3. I think it's more like pulling the rug out to gobble up the little guy. Very orchestrated. Just my HO.

[Valeria101]

Here's another possible story: with the better freshwater, the vast, vast majority of pearls sol are now in a much lower price bracket then Tahitians aspired to before that price slip or this... or the next... Could it be that the entire perception of cultured pearls as jewelry is depreciating as a result?

And then, there's the concentration, competition, coordination or lack thereof and what not in the making of black pearl themselves. Whether the blind short-term adaptation to the demand for lower quality-high volume-lower price, smells like the sign that the Govt. led coordination of black's production is losing ground... to more realistic factors. (very silly of me to venture an idea - just curious here how wrong I am, LOL!).

In other words, black pearls better start growing in Chinese freshwater mussels, or else...

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by Mikeyy

Oh its a commercial

Good one

[Slraep]

Originally Posted by Mikeyy;

Oh its a commercial

Very good one.

Slraep

[Ashley]

Lol- In addition, due to fluctuating environmental factors, larger pearls are indeed getting harder to attain, naturally price increases are following a smaller supply...

[knotty panda]

Originally Posted by Valeria101

Here's another possible story: with the better freshwater, the vast, vast majority of pearls sol are now in a much lower price bracket then Tahitians aspired to before that price slip or this... or the next... Could it be that the entire perception of cultured pearls as jewelry is depreciating as a result?

And then, there's the concentration, competition, coordination or lack thereof and what not in the making of black pearl themselves. Whether the blind short-term adaptation to the demand for lower quality-high volume-lower price, smells like the sign that the Govt. led coordination of black's production is losing ground... to more realistic factors. (very silly of me to venture an idea - just curious here how wrong I am, LOL!).

In other words, black pearls better start growing in Chinese freshwater mussels, or else...

I think John Belushi said it best, "Nahhhhhhh!"

Let me be plainer, smells like bribes in them there government coordinations.

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by Ashley

Lol- In addition, due to fluctuating environmental factors, larger pearls are indeed getting harder to attain, naturally price increases are following a smaller supply...

This is a bit of a tangent and may be better in another thread. If so, please alert me.

*edit* Is the apparent difference in availability due to externally applied controls (and how would we really know other than pestering Josh for his detailed experience since there's no DeBeers)? I have a technical question that may not even be answerable but...is the relatively lower supply of the larger pearls due to a turnover in the generation/s of oysters? Like is there a notably higher percentage of first generation grafts? Or is there some other fluctuation in the population or an environmental phenomenon that could account for (some of) it?