My Hong Kong shopping

[Adeline Leigh]

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

It's been raining every day since I got back due to the monsoon so excuse some of these shots.

Indeed, Caitlin, Hong Kong was raining pearls as well (as evident in the earlier picture of the bags and bags of pearls at the wholesalers) but they were, sadly, not the oddball quirky pearls that I am currently hankering for. One of the managers from the wholesalers was lovely and patient enough to explain that the natural coloured, iridiscent fireballs that I was after had to be hand selected from the farms in the mainland, and given that the pearling season was over, and the lunar new year was approaching, no hope there for me.

Anyway, between Railway Plaza's wholesalers in Kowloon (thanks to Jeremy for this tip) and the Causeway Bay jewellers on HK Island (sounds hoity toity, but they aren't, mum and pop jewellery outfits at best), I managed three fireball (nukes and tailed) textured strands - two lavender silver ones with focals (24mm!) and one other mixed colour strand. The pearls on the latter strand were particularly enchanting given their large size (18mm), smooth skins (no divots!) and matched colours so I have plunged straight into beading post-trip and will soon post pictures.

I also adore these massive petal pearls (32mm) that I bought on a whim. I wasn't very taken with them initially when mum and pop offered them to me, but when I got home to Singapore, I am so loving the oil slick rainbow hues that are emerging in this light.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Here's another separate post for the cheaper, but no lesser, pearls.

As for these cheapies that are sold in hanks, I'm particularly intrigued by these dyed (?) black-blue-chocolate 9mm almost rounds whose colours are constantly changing in the light.

I had to get me some of those 5mm plump nuggets in peach, gold and mauve and they sure look pretty next to a strand of imperial topaz (an absolute score, there are even previous pink topaz lil' brios).

And just for my five nieces in England and my own girls, (I am surrounded by female offspring; my family seems to spawn only the fairer sex), I had to get a strand of these kitschy silvery-blue crosses shown here with Madagascan labradorite. (Gemstones weren't HK buys, but I will be more than happy if an insider could point me in the direction if I were after them too in HK!)

In summary, allow me these few observations:

(1) If you are after CFWP in hanks, the wholesalers are perfect. But if you are looking for interesting CFWP, like moi, my best bet, I have been told, would be to hit the HK Gem Show in Feb 2012. Any takers?

(2) If you can't speak Cantonese or Chinese, my advice is you bring along a small sample of the colour and quality of the type of pearl you are interested in. Nothing beats showing the mum and pop jewellers exactly what you want rather than they bring out their whole inventory and curse you in rapid-fire Cantonese should you walk out empty-handed

I didn't suffer the indignity of this this trip but in 1997, being younger and brasher, I did encounter something akin to what I just described when the sale fell through before 10 am. Local businessmen are very superstitious and wish to see the first sale of the day through as it determines the way sales would go for the rest of the day.

And to clarify, English is the lingua franca at the wholesalers; no problem there.

(3) Oh, and my last word on something un-pearl related, FOOD! Skip Yung Kee's roast goose as recommended by just about every guidebook and head to Victoria Harbour Restaurant (Hoi Kong) in Pioneer Centre for dim sum, seafood (killer scallops and crabs) and all for a song. You can tell a good restaurant by the way locals vote with their feet: 10 am and the restaurant is packed to the rafters, not a 'guai lou' (foreigner) in sight. And did I mention, the bill is easily one-third of Yung Kee's. As for typical 'cha teng' food, we love the very contemporary Tsui Wah, 20 outlets and counting.

 

[pattye]

Adeline,

Woweeee, some super awesome purchases there! Looking forward to seeing what you are doing with them.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Hi Pattye, yes indeed; those pictures will be coming very soon...

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

And if I could, here are some designs post-trip:

- baroque coins with peridot, prehnite, labradorite and songea sapphires
- pondslimes with rubies, amethyst, pink tourmaline and madeira citrine
- fireballs with pink opal, oregon sunstone, spinel and umbalite garnet

The focal pearls speak for themselves. 'Nuff said.

Thanks for letting me share and sorry for boring the non-beaders.

 

[KarinK]

Wow! The details of your designs are just excusite. I can't help wonder how you manage to wear all your beauties

- Karin

 

[pearlescence]

Fabulous....

 

[Alex]

Adeline

just beautiful, from another world almost

 

[pattye]

Adeline,

What fun! You must have a different lovely pair for every day of the of the month, plus a change for evening! The addition of the coil work is a nice compliment!

 

[Caitlin]

You are a talented designer!

 

[Ash]

Adeline,

Thank you for sharing your goodies and designs! Really made my day!!

Cheers

Ash

 

[Nerida]

Hi Adeline,

Hope you had a great time - yes the wholesalers are lots of fun aren't they - great way to spend way too much time!!

Love your purchases, and I love love your earring designs! Very beautiful!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Wendy, Alex and Caitlin: Thank you so much for your kind words.

Ash: No, you've made my day.

Nerida: Yeah, the wholesalers sure were fun. I went on a Saturday morning, though, so quite a few were closed but I tip-toed my way through the floors and knocked on a couple of doors. The first was intimidating with it's vault-like steel doors and security cameras and all. But those bags and bags of pearls with the real good ones snug in the safes - I still can't wrap my brains around it! I was a tad miffed when one declined (politely) to sell me some gorgeous iridescent mauvy-golden coins. Rainbows were bouncing off the nacre, I swear, as the 'expert' was sorting and grading them. They could have named their price but ... no go, probably reserved for regular customers like you, the ones who spend far bigger bucks than what I, a lesser mortal, could ever afford to. But what an experience.

A question, Nerida, will the HK Gem Show entertain retail consumers like me or do they cater only to wholesale buyers? Thanks!

Karin and Pattye: In truth, I have so many pairs including my earlier, simpler, designs and those store bought ones, I can get through half a year with a different pair a day, I think. (Severe pangs of guilt seize me now for like 15 seconds or the time I have taken to complete this utterance). I only do earrings; I have far too short a neck, and it's an old neck. The excess sebum that is secreted on my face stays only on my face, sadly. And indulgent neck creams means breakouts on my neck and decolletage. How unbecoming.

As I told Pattye earlier, each and every comment is treasured for a closet (now outed) wanna-be designer like me. Thanks again, everyone, when the going in academia gets tough, I can always fantasize about throwing in the towel! I have to admit I am getting increasingly ambivalent about my day job and that malaise in the global markets is just not helping.

 

[pattye]

Thankfully, what might seem to those outside the pearl world as an idiotic excess of enthusiasm for anything pearly is simply the accepted norm here!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

And I am sure I speak for all when I emphatically say, "Indeed!"

Here's to more pearls.

 

[pearlescence]

Hi
The HK shows are trade only, but get selling a few of those earrings and you are trade!
The wholesalers' offices are amazing..I can and do spend a day in one easily..then another the next day...but the show, especially the sept one, is something to be experienced

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Now you've gotten my blood going, Wendy. I swear I just gasped there! Now my mind's spinning with ideas and am mentally checking off my schedule in Sept 2012. Nope, wide open...

Please, do enlighten me, how does each quarterly (from what I think I read) show differ from the other? Nothing like hearing firsthand!

 

[pearlescence]

The sept show is so big that it is held as two separate shows - one for the loose gems and findings, near the airport at that exhibition centre, and the finished jewellery is at the other big exhibition centre on HK island. the airport one runs for a few days then the island one starts, with an overlap of a couple of days.
the other shows are one centre, near the airport.
So the sept one is the biggie, to which everybody aims. It is not just where one can buy, but one can meet up with friends and colleagues. And you can spend as much or as little as you wish on hotel etc. HK can be hugely expensive or remarkably cheap .
Get selling! After all, the more you sell the more you can buy!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

It is not just where one can buy, but one can meet up with friends and colleagues. Get selling! After all, the more you sell the more you can buy!

Wendy, two comments:
(1) I'm coming... and perhaps, meeting YOU!
(2) I hear you on the selling; I just have to figure a way to part with them first!

 

[pearlescence]

selling - start by picking up on folk who admire your earrings - just say you have some similar for sale..or offer to make . But dont be silly on price. Charge a proper commercial price.