Where to buy Pearls
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jshepherd
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Your best bet will be in Beijing. There is a pearl market called Hongqiao where a lot of vendors sell wholesale and retail, primarily to tourists. There are no real pearl markets in the other cities. Hong Kong is a great place but only for wholesale.
Amrita
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I agree Beijing would be best out of the cities listed. To add to what Jeremy said, there is a Tianya Market behind the Hongqiao market which has a lot of jade pieces on the -1 floor (i.e. 1 floor below the ground level) and the 3rd and 4th floor have a lot of pearls.
Pattye,
yes, i'm starting a pearls business. In the next few months i will be making the final decision on it. Well, to start with, it will not be a huge amount, i'm just starting after all, but the first investment in pearls will be around 7 to 10 thousand US dollars. MY first idea is to start only with FW pearls.I do want the quality to be AAA and AA. I asked about the online wholesaler because going to china myself would be an extra expenditure that a new company can hardly afford.
Thank you
yes, i'm starting a pearls business. In the next few months i will be making the final decision on it. Well, to start with, it will not be a huge amount, i'm just starting after all, but the first investment in pearls will be around 7 to 10 thousand US dollars. MY first idea is to start only with FW pearls.I do want the quality to be AAA and AA. I asked about the online wholesaler because going to china myself would be an extra expenditure that a new company can hardly afford.
Thank you
pattye
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Well, that's exciting and it's good that you are taking time to research before making a final decision. Many of the forum members who have online stores with high quality pearls are on their way to a Hong Kong to buy right now, so may not see this thread or comment right away.
What is your background with pearls? For example, if you were given unmarked strands of AA and AAA pearls of similar color and size, would you be able to identify which was the better quality strand? The reason I ask is there are soooo many pearls "out there" that are labeled with high grades but are of lesser quality.
Are you planning to offer finished jewelry? Will you have a storefront or be online? These are just some of the questions I'd ask if we were chatting together at Starbucks over a latte~
What is your background with pearls? For example, if you were given unmarked strands of AA and AAA pearls of similar color and size, would you be able to identify which was the better quality strand? The reason I ask is there are soooo many pearls "out there" that are labeled with high grades but are of lesser quality.
Are you planning to offer finished jewelry? Will you have a storefront or be online? These are just some of the questions I'd ask if we were chatting together at Starbucks over a latte~
I see. Well, I don't really have a background with pearls, I'm still educating myself on that field. I've been trying to find Pearls by Elisabeth Strack and it's been impossible. I can only find it in german, and my knolege of the german lenguage is quite basic.I'm starting the GIA Pearl Grading course, and as everything requires time and money I'm already making the plans for the company while I take the course.
My plan is to only offer finished jewelry and it will be completely online; a storefront require much more money, and online I can go national, instead of only my city ( I'm from Brazil ). And here, for some reason, a simple pearl necklace of ok quality costs nothing less than 1500 USD, wich makes me feel there is a gap in the market and that there is the possibility to do more and better for much less.
My plan is to only offer finished jewelry and it will be completely online; a storefront require much more money, and online I can go national, instead of only my city ( I'm from Brazil ). And here, for some reason, a simple pearl necklace of ok quality costs nothing less than 1500 USD, wich makes me feel there is a gap in the market and that there is the possibility to do more and better for much less.
pattye
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Yes, the GIA course is a good place to start. Also good that you've identified a potential market. You will get honest information here on this forum.
the Strack book is actually available through GIA: http://store.gia.edu/Pearls_by_Elisabeth_Strack_p/0201056.htm
You will find lots of information regarding recommended reading material, but Strack is #1.
Are you currently in Brazil? Do you have opportunities to see fw pearls in person?
Pearl Buying Guide by Renee Newman GG is also excellent.
the Strack book is actually available through GIA: http://store.gia.edu/Pearls_by_Elisabeth_Strack_p/0201056.htm
You will find lots of information regarding recommended reading material, but Strack is #1.
Are you currently in Brazil? Do you have opportunities to see fw pearls in person?
Pearl Buying Guide by Renee Newman GG is also excellent.
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Yes yes i saw at the GIA store a week ago, but if you check the status, it's in back order, i send an email and the reply i've got was: they have no ideia when and if the book will be for sale again, because they got some conflicted information from the publisher. They just told to keep watching the site to see if there is any change in the status.
Yes i'm in Brazil right now, i may have access to pearls, but not to good ones, i've been considering buying a few lose ones in PP's site, not now anyway.
Thank you for the book recommendation, i will buy this one.
Yes i'm in Brazil right now, i may have access to pearls, but not to good ones, i've been considering buying a few lose ones in PP's site, not now anyway.
Thank you for the book recommendation, i will buy this one.
pattye
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It is unfortunate about PEARLS being on back order, but GIA will likely have the book as soon as anyone, and not at an inflated price. You will have lots of reading material if you are taking the course, plus LOTS of information and photos here.
Do you love and wear pearls yourself?
Do you love and wear pearls yourself?
I've always loved jewelry and precious stones etc etc. I've been reading extensively about jewelry history. I do plan in the future ( not too far ahead ) to became a gemologist( hopefully at the GIA too ) and a bench jeweler ( not to pursue a career as such, but one must know how things are done ). I don't wear pearls, but to collect them would not be bad at all.
Amrita
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Yes definitely PearlsBR! Look forward to it.
The GIA site is where I got my copy back in Nov 2013 after so many years of searching. You're right it is hard too find. Unfortunately it is on back order at the moment, but I think this is the best place to get the English edition and sooner or later they are going to send it to you.
http://store.gia.edu/Pearls_by_Elisabeth_Strack_p/0201056.htm
Look forward to it.The GIA site is where I got my copy back in Nov 2013 after so many years of searching. You're right it is hard too find. Unfortunately it is on back order at the moment, but I think this is the best place to get the English edition and sooner or later they are going to send it to you.
http://store.gia.edu/Pearls_by_Elisabeth_Strack_p/0201056.htm
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pattye
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mguy,
Most pearl strands have some slight graduation. I weighed my akoya necklace which has 8mm center pearl and graduates to 6.5 at the clasp. It weighs just under 1 ounce and has a simple filigree fish hook clasp that adds very little weight. Freshwaters would probably be just slightly heavier with less graduation. There could be some variation of weight based on the shape of the pearl.
South Sea pearls size range is much larger than 8mm (average size is 13mm) with a range of 9-20mm. Highly unlikely for you to find a strand of 8mm South Sea.
Tahitian pearls size ranges from 9-18mm. Same story here, if you find a strand of 8mm being sold as Tahitian, it is quite likely they are dyed freshwater.
Mguy, also recommend you purchase PEARL BUYING GUIDE by Renee Newman, approx $20 well spent and could save you much more.
Most pearl strands have some slight graduation. I weighed my akoya necklace which has 8mm center pearl and graduates to 6.5 at the clasp. It weighs just under 1 ounce and has a simple filigree fish hook clasp that adds very little weight. Freshwaters would probably be just slightly heavier with less graduation. There could be some variation of weight based on the shape of the pearl.
South Sea pearls size range is much larger than 8mm (average size is 13mm) with a range of 9-20mm. Highly unlikely for you to find a strand of 8mm South Sea.
Tahitian pearls size ranges from 9-18mm. Same story here, if you find a strand of 8mm being sold as Tahitian, it is quite likely they are dyed freshwater.
Mguy, also recommend you purchase PEARL BUYING GUIDE by Renee Newman, approx $20 well spent and could save you much more.
