The Philippines Thread. For people who live there and for people who want to visit.
- Thread starter jmarch
- Start date
T
tacy_cc
Guest
-Good day Jmarch,
I live in the Philippines and would like to be so bold as to offer you my hospitality when you come down here! I live in Manila by the way. I actually sent you an introduction email awhile ago about myself and what i do. I just got off the phone with my friend from the aquatic bureau and she said that i can request a visit to a government farm research facility in eastern samar. It's perfectly safe there. The other 2 options are: to visit a farm (japanese co-owned)all the way in Basilan, Mindanao (it's abu sayyaf territory but the Philippine president said they're no longer a threat there and the best indication is that "jollibee", a local burger giant just re-opened their basilan branch). Right now there's a shoot to order directive to anyone from the government side intending to go there since some shady gov bureaucrats owe them for some "borrowed" pearls which were never returned. I'd hate to be mistaken since i have a lot to live for...Although the owner and head of the cooperative is a very nice old muslim guy who had to cancel a december meeting with me because he was undergoing a mild heart attack. He's ok now but harvesting in March or so. They produce pinkish pearls, believe it or not. I still haven't seen them though. The other option is to ask Jewelmer if they can accommodate a visit..
By the way, the only active pearl farm in Cebu i know of is owned by Dr. Divinagracia. I believe their company name is Diven. It's one of the older ones which has been around since the 60's. Anyway, the waters are not so great so they mostly produce abalone for cuisine purposes. The other thing is that the government tried to introduce fw production in Luzon (Bulacan) but they had to shut it down not-because of substandard quality but because they were besieged by rampant stealing throughout the entire process, ayayayay! My friend from the aquatic bureau is doing an audit of a (seaweed) aquatic farm in Bicol till thursday and i'm afraid i can't get anymore info from her till she comes back to civilization.
I do hope i can be of any assistance to you. Good day!
Anastacia Casta?eda Aoki
www.leaf-jewellery.dk
I live in the Philippines and would like to be so bold as to offer you my hospitality when you come down here! I live in Manila by the way. I actually sent you an introduction email awhile ago about myself and what i do. I just got off the phone with my friend from the aquatic bureau and she said that i can request a visit to a government farm research facility in eastern samar. It's perfectly safe there. The other 2 options are: to visit a farm (japanese co-owned)all the way in Basilan, Mindanao (it's abu sayyaf territory but the Philippine president said they're no longer a threat there and the best indication is that "jollibee", a local burger giant just re-opened their basilan branch). Right now there's a shoot to order directive to anyone from the government side intending to go there since some shady gov bureaucrats owe them for some "borrowed" pearls which were never returned. I'd hate to be mistaken since i have a lot to live for...Although the owner and head of the cooperative is a very nice old muslim guy who had to cancel a december meeting with me because he was undergoing a mild heart attack. He's ok now but harvesting in March or so. They produce pinkish pearls, believe it or not. I still haven't seen them though. The other option is to ask Jewelmer if they can accommodate a visit..
By the way, the only active pearl farm in Cebu i know of is owned by Dr. Divinagracia. I believe their company name is Diven. It's one of the older ones which has been around since the 60's. Anyway, the waters are not so great so they mostly produce abalone for cuisine purposes. The other thing is that the government tried to introduce fw production in Luzon (Bulacan) but they had to shut it down not-because of substandard quality but because they were besieged by rampant stealing throughout the entire process, ayayayay! My friend from the aquatic bureau is doing an audit of a (seaweed) aquatic farm in Bicol till thursday and i'm afraid i can't get anymore info from her till she comes back to civilization.
I do hope i can be of any assistance to you. Good day!
Anastacia Casta?eda Aoki
www.leaf-jewellery.dk
P
perlas
Guest
Hi jmarch,
If you just plan on purchasing pearls, Greenhills will be fine in Metro Manila.
Hi Anastacia,
I personally do not recommend a foreigner going to Basilan.
Samar and Cebu are safe places though. You do show the famous Filipino hospitality.
If you just plan on purchasing pearls, Greenhills will be fine in Metro Manila.
Hi Anastacia,
I personally do not recommend a foreigner going to Basilan.
Samar and Cebu are safe places though. You do show the famous Filipino hospitality.
T
tacy_cc
Guest
Hello Perlas and Jmarch,
Yes, greenhills is ok to purchase pearls and carry a numerous array of cfwp.with caution against overpricing sellers and misrepresentation of quality(watch out if they say baby south sea, i still don't know what they mean or where those come from really). Should you be on the look-out for SSP's then these are found in great numbers there too( mostly bought in lots of 100 pcs per in Hong Kong where they become generic). Impossible to trace origin, no provenance and of various low-AAA qualities. It's an occular feast, stall after stall. My groovy mother-in-law was boggled! I, on the other hand, get a headache when i go there owing to the shuffling of the numerous stalls every month. I source my cfwp there for the fashion jewelry i design and sell in DK. Yes, I wouldn't mind showing you around there too. By the way, spoke to Jewelmer and they said yes to the tour and they were even kind enough to offer arrangements for accommodation at a nearby resort. Ballpark estimate: Transfers $100, accommodation $60 per day with a minumum of 3 days. I'll get the deatils sometime today as i am meeting them shortly to borrow some shells for display purposes.
Perlas, perhaps since we live in the Philippines, a cup of tea or coffee sometime would indeed be nice. Also planning to go to the HK jewelry show in March. Perhaps going only for a day or 2 since i am still breastfeeding my baby and i still suffer from separation anxiety..Good day to you all!
Yes, greenhills is ok to purchase pearls and carry a numerous array of cfwp.with caution against overpricing sellers and misrepresentation of quality(watch out if they say baby south sea, i still don't know what they mean or where those come from really). Should you be on the look-out for SSP's then these are found in great numbers there too( mostly bought in lots of 100 pcs per in Hong Kong where they become generic). Impossible to trace origin, no provenance and of various low-AAA qualities. It's an occular feast, stall after stall. My groovy mother-in-law was boggled! I, on the other hand, get a headache when i go there owing to the shuffling of the numerous stalls every month. I source my cfwp there for the fashion jewelry i design and sell in DK. Yes, I wouldn't mind showing you around there too. By the way, spoke to Jewelmer and they said yes to the tour and they were even kind enough to offer arrangements for accommodation at a nearby resort. Ballpark estimate: Transfers $100, accommodation $60 per day with a minumum of 3 days. I'll get the deatils sometime today as i am meeting them shortly to borrow some shells for display purposes.
Perlas, perhaps since we live in the Philippines, a cup of tea or coffee sometime would indeed be nice. Also planning to go to the HK jewelry show in March. Perhaps going only for a day or 2 since i am still breastfeeding my baby and i still suffer from separation anxiety..Good day to you all!
L
lucyryalls
Guest
Hi Sam and Tacy
I completely agree that Greenhills is the easiest place to buy pearls! and you can get really good prices if you haggle hard!
Gosh I didnt realise Jewelmer would be so accomodating! Sign me up! Seriously though if you can email me the info you get I would love to take a trip there - and I am sure Sam would too! (Perlas)
Tacy - Im off to the HK jewellery show in March too, cant wait! The Baby South Seas are just freshwater by the way - if you ask what they are, they will tell you! And your right they do tend to really bump up the prices, especially if you dont look asian!
Lucy
I completely agree that Greenhills is the easiest place to buy pearls! and you can get really good prices if you haggle hard!
Gosh I didnt realise Jewelmer would be so accomodating! Sign me up! Seriously though if you can email me the info you get I would love to take a trip there - and I am sure Sam would too! (Perlas)
Tacy - Im off to the HK jewellery show in March too, cant wait! The Baby South Seas are just freshwater by the way - if you ask what they are, they will tell you! And your right they do tend to really bump up the prices, especially if you dont look asian!
Lucy
P
perlas
Guest
Hi Tacy and Lucy,
Sure we could meet up. Lucy and I have been planning to go to a pearl farm since last year but we always end up shopping for sparklies and i.d.ying stones. Lucy's going to the HK Jewellery fair. So Lucy, hop on board!
The shuffling booths at Greenhills! They just shuffled last Friday so we still have a month more before they do it again.
Lucy's right. The baby south seas are medium to big CFWPs.
Greenhills - where all red stones are rubies, all blue stones are sapphires, and all akoyas are mikis...
Sure we could meet up. Lucy and I have been planning to go to a pearl farm since last year but we always end up shopping for sparklies and i.d.ying stones. Lucy's going to the HK Jewellery fair. So Lucy, hop on board!
The shuffling booths at Greenhills! They just shuffled last Friday so we still have a month more before they do it again.
Lucy's right. The baby south seas are medium to big CFWPs.
Greenhills - where all red stones are rubies, all blue stones are sapphires, and all akoyas are mikis...
T
tacy_cc
Guest
Hi Sam and Lucy,
I asked Jewelmer for permission to go since i have a commercial relationship with them and mentioned I would also like to bring a "friend" visiting from abroad. I haven't heard from Jmarch yet and I'll try my best to ask them about 2 more people.. Actually dreaming about it now, tropical idyll, you guys, me and my breast pump minus the drama sequences of my teen, toddler and baby-all boys! I would love to be in your company going to greenhills sometime soon and also at the trade show in HK-again without my wolf pack, woohoo!!!!!! I must admit, I'm a technological idiot and i can't wait to learn from you guys.
Yes, i suspected that the baby south seas are fw but they're just so inconsistent with their answers. One day it's baby south seas from mindanao, the next it's from china. The muslim sellers really do come up with the funniest storylines. They even make up stories about the ones that look like corn cereal (the flat nice ones, don't have a pic though) and say its from a place where the sea water and fresh water meet (somewhere at the foot of some mountain by the beach-huh?!..on earth?)haha! I should have a journal just to jot down the stories they come up with, silly people.
Anyway, didn't get the info today since my friend was stuck in a meeting when i got to Jewelmer. Will sms her tom. But i did get an invitation to a special Jewelmer show tom at Le Pavillion. This is the same presentation they made in HK last Sept. It's a BPI-Jewelmer fashion show and my invite is good for 2 couples. I'd love to share the invitation with you both since I'm going alone. Cocktails at 6pm, show starts at 7pm. Dress code: evening cocktails. The program sounds interesting: jewelmer jazz band, Douglas Nieras' powerdance, Rhett Eala designs and Vernie Varga on vocal stylings. Do send me a text if you'd like to go! 0917-8990421 Although i must do a cinderella by 9 since my baby sitter can't stay too long.
I asked Jewelmer for permission to go since i have a commercial relationship with them and mentioned I would also like to bring a "friend" visiting from abroad. I haven't heard from Jmarch yet and I'll try my best to ask them about 2 more people.. Actually dreaming about it now, tropical idyll, you guys, me and my breast pump minus the drama sequences of my teen, toddler and baby-all boys! I would love to be in your company going to greenhills sometime soon and also at the trade show in HK-again without my wolf pack, woohoo!!!!!! I must admit, I'm a technological idiot and i can't wait to learn from you guys.
Yes, i suspected that the baby south seas are fw but they're just so inconsistent with their answers. One day it's baby south seas from mindanao, the next it's from china. The muslim sellers really do come up with the funniest storylines. They even make up stories about the ones that look like corn cereal (the flat nice ones, don't have a pic though) and say its from a place where the sea water and fresh water meet (somewhere at the foot of some mountain by the beach-huh?!..on earth?)haha! I should have a journal just to jot down the stories they come up with, silly people.
Anyway, didn't get the info today since my friend was stuck in a meeting when i got to Jewelmer. Will sms her tom. But i did get an invitation to a special Jewelmer show tom at Le Pavillion. This is the same presentation they made in HK last Sept. It's a BPI-Jewelmer fashion show and my invite is good for 2 couples. I'd love to share the invitation with you both since I'm going alone. Cocktails at 6pm, show starts at 7pm. Dress code: evening cocktails. The program sounds interesting: jewelmer jazz band, Douglas Nieras' powerdance, Rhett Eala designs and Vernie Varga on vocal stylings. Do send me a text if you'd like to go! 0917-8990421 Although i must do a cinderella by 9 since my baby sitter can't stay too long.
L
lucyryalls
Guest
I agree with you on Greenhills - most of the sellers are a pain in the *** for making stuff up! But all baby south sea are chinese freshwater. When they say they are from Mindano, that mean that they bought them from dealers who are in Mindano who actually purchased them from china! And of course, everything odd shaped is a Keishi!
As for Jewelmer's cocktail party, if i'm here, count me in - love a good party!
Lucy
As for Jewelmer's cocktail party, if i'm here, count me in - love a good party!
Lucy
P
perlas
Guest
Tacy,
Definitely I'm up for the cocktails. Thanks for the invite. Lucy and I could pick you up and send you home if you wish. Lucy just sent you a text message.
Lucy,
Refer to our texts. Let's just take one ride. Mine or yours, whichever is fine.
The most famous story in Greenhills? To achieve the different colours of the pearls, the dye is injected in the oyster while the pearls are forming.
Definitely I'm up for the cocktails. Thanks for the invite. Lucy and I could pick you up and send you home if you wish. Lucy just sent you a text message.
Lucy,
Refer to our texts. Let's just take one ride. Mine or yours, whichever is fine.
The most famous story in Greenhills? To achieve the different colours of the pearls, the dye is injected in the oyster while the pearls are forming.
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J
jerin
Guest
Greenhill Market in Metro Manila
Greenhill Market in Metro Manila
Hi Tacy,
if you ever get the time please tell us some of the stories you hear. These arab guys are relly intriguing, aren?t they?
Hav a nice party and let us know if it was good.
Greenhill Market in Metro Manila
Hi Tacy,
if you ever get the time please tell us some of the stories you hear. These arab guys are relly intriguing, aren?t they?
Hav a nice party and let us know if it was good.
L
lucyryalls
Guest
Hmm funny how that happens!
BTW - thanks for a great night Tacy!
BTW - thanks for a great night Tacy!
T
tacy_cc
Guest
Hi,
Glad you enjoyed the show Lucy, it was my pleasure meeting you!
The show was decadent! It actually started off very conservatively. The crowd was very conservatively filipino. A lot of filipinos buy ssp's. If there are 2 things filipinos are nationalistic about, it's their ssp's and filipino visual arts. Some local clients will just buy 10 strands at a time for their baubble collection! I can't imagine it for myself but i guess the rich over here are extremely rich although the disparity between rich and poor will sometimes leave a bad taste in the mouth..one of the 3rd world idiosyncrasies i have yet to get used to.
The jewelmer people were extremely gracious! The pieces were an array of ssp's in various shades of deep golds to champagne and the other half were whites in silvery and cream tones. All naturals. The designs were exciting-from my perspective as an artist. A lot of fine bling! Lots of white pearl ropes accentuated by deep goldens solo's set in buds of MOP and tastefully sprinkled with diamonds. The pearls really stood out in the settings. There were too many stunning pieces, and up till now, i recall the show with a smile on my face. Pearls really light me up! I like designs that move and are anatomically correct and there were a lot in the show. 2 pieces struck me-a necklace and bracelet ensemble in black leather or was it silk rope?(no descriptions on hand nor a voice-over description) The string was ended by 2 bunches of golden pearls (like grapes except they didn't follow a reverse pyramid outline and instead were delicately graded..very very anatomically correct-especially with the way it moved when the model glided and peacock-posed on the runway. This string was worn knotted at the chest like a short, flirty necktie. the bracelet was also similar but in a smaller scale proportionate to the size of the hand and wrist, also tied-no clasp in sight, very smart and sexy! I wish it was mine! The other piece i couldn't believe was a rope necklace made up of gigantic, (as in the biggest i've seen in my life) bluish baroques. Bad eyesight and all, my eyes nearly popped out in amazement. Thought they were mabe from afar. They were connected by white gold links. Very stunning! Those babies were like 1 1/2 to 2 inches long-each- and about an inch across.
The clothes were very sexy, clingy and had a few swingy tuft accents anywhere from hem line(all short with lots of legs) to the cleavage. The materials were mostly sheer with colors ranging from all white to all red and then powdery baby blues. The dresses and the models all sent the message of a slick coquette and yet the hairstyle they chose to top it off was certainly conservative. The models all wore their hair swept up, tucked in a chignon behind the head and smoothed clean on top but exxageratedly bouffant ala Imelda Marcos, honestly! But it worked. Kinda reminded me of the gliding, gum -chewing alien vixen in the movie "mars attacks"..Each collection was "introduced" by interpretative dance numbers with a lot of cable work, flying up in the air. Very ethereal and executed with consistent excitement and artistic flair. I tried to catch the dancers lower their guard but it was as if they were on hyper performance level at all times. Fili dancers are quite graceful and lithe. A lot of fili dancers have become famous stars of the kirov,especially during the decades when government supported the arts. i guess that's all i can share. Oh and yes, they do possess the ultimate orient. The pearls were very consistent in quality, shape etc. None of the qualities i have ever seen in the Greenhills market. They really have their act together and that was only equalled by the graciousness of our hosts! Oh and yes, if anyone wants to visit the farm, flower island resort nearby(its a small island near the farm) offers tours. (Unfortunately the secrets of the Jewelmer farm will remain a mystery to us. Tourists will only get a standard tourist look-about)
Sorry for rambling on...good day to you all!
Glad you enjoyed the show Lucy, it was my pleasure meeting you!
The show was decadent! It actually started off very conservatively. The crowd was very conservatively filipino. A lot of filipinos buy ssp's. If there are 2 things filipinos are nationalistic about, it's their ssp's and filipino visual arts. Some local clients will just buy 10 strands at a time for their baubble collection! I can't imagine it for myself but i guess the rich over here are extremely rich although the disparity between rich and poor will sometimes leave a bad taste in the mouth..one of the 3rd world idiosyncrasies i have yet to get used to.
The jewelmer people were extremely gracious! The pieces were an array of ssp's in various shades of deep golds to champagne and the other half were whites in silvery and cream tones. All naturals. The designs were exciting-from my perspective as an artist. A lot of fine bling! Lots of white pearl ropes accentuated by deep goldens solo's set in buds of MOP and tastefully sprinkled with diamonds. The pearls really stood out in the settings. There were too many stunning pieces, and up till now, i recall the show with a smile on my face. Pearls really light me up! I like designs that move and are anatomically correct and there were a lot in the show. 2 pieces struck me-a necklace and bracelet ensemble in black leather or was it silk rope?(no descriptions on hand nor a voice-over description) The string was ended by 2 bunches of golden pearls (like grapes except they didn't follow a reverse pyramid outline and instead were delicately graded..very very anatomically correct-especially with the way it moved when the model glided and peacock-posed on the runway. This string was worn knotted at the chest like a short, flirty necktie. the bracelet was also similar but in a smaller scale proportionate to the size of the hand and wrist, also tied-no clasp in sight, very smart and sexy! I wish it was mine! The other piece i couldn't believe was a rope necklace made up of gigantic, (as in the biggest i've seen in my life) bluish baroques. Bad eyesight and all, my eyes nearly popped out in amazement. Thought they were mabe from afar. They were connected by white gold links. Very stunning! Those babies were like 1 1/2 to 2 inches long-each- and about an inch across.
The clothes were very sexy, clingy and had a few swingy tuft accents anywhere from hem line(all short with lots of legs) to the cleavage. The materials were mostly sheer with colors ranging from all white to all red and then powdery baby blues. The dresses and the models all sent the message of a slick coquette and yet the hairstyle they chose to top it off was certainly conservative. The models all wore their hair swept up, tucked in a chignon behind the head and smoothed clean on top but exxageratedly bouffant ala Imelda Marcos, honestly! But it worked. Kinda reminded me of the gliding, gum -chewing alien vixen in the movie "mars attacks"..Each collection was "introduced" by interpretative dance numbers with a lot of cable work, flying up in the air. Very ethereal and executed with consistent excitement and artistic flair. I tried to catch the dancers lower their guard but it was as if they were on hyper performance level at all times. Fili dancers are quite graceful and lithe. A lot of fili dancers have become famous stars of the kirov,especially during the decades when government supported the arts. i guess that's all i can share. Oh and yes, they do possess the ultimate orient. The pearls were very consistent in quality, shape etc. None of the qualities i have ever seen in the Greenhills market. They really have their act together and that was only equalled by the graciousness of our hosts! Oh and yes, if anyone wants to visit the farm, flower island resort nearby(its a small island near the farm) offers tours. (Unfortunately the secrets of the Jewelmer farm will remain a mystery to us. Tourists will only get a standard tourist look-about)
Sorry for rambling on...good day to you all!
T
tacy_cc
Guest
Hi Inge,
By the way, the muslims in greenhills are not of arab stock but malay like myself. Islam came to the philippines about 2oo years ahead of christianity so that would explain why muslim mindanao has deeper cultural roots than the rest of colonial philippines.
By the way, the muslims in greenhills are not of arab stock but malay like myself. Islam came to the philippines about 2oo years ahead of christianity so that would explain why muslim mindanao has deeper cultural roots than the rest of colonial philippines.
P
perlas
Guest
Thanks for the fun night, Tacy. Loved the dancers and ofcourse, the pearls!
T
tacy_cc
Guest
You're welcome Perlas, although meeting you was as much a pleasure for me as it was watching the show. I would've been by my lonesome otherwise.
Mandy said:ferdinand kinda went poof, didn't he?
Thank you to everyone,
I was going to ask him to put the bead in the golden pearl for me.
After you have dissecting him I guess not.
I love this Pearl-Guide.com or I should call it pearl-psychiatrist.com
This is great.
I can really see the value at this site.
Thanks
Chi Galatea Huynh
D
drea
Guest
Jmarch,
Have a wonderful trip to the Philippines it is SO beautiful there! The scenery is very diverse, but really the people are what make the trip worth it in my opinion. They are all so beautiful, warm and hospitable.
I've been twice myself, although unrelated to pearls.. You will have to let us know how your experience is with the pearl farms.
A friend of mine was recently in the Philippines, and his coworker (whom is from Hong Kong originally) bought some SS pearls. He said that it took quite some time to haggle the price down, but that the pears are really quite something. I have not seen the pearls yet, but from my understanding his coworker is quite the pearl connoisseur, so they should be quite spectacular! I'm not sure where she bought the pearls, although I know that they did not go to any of the pearl farms, however the price was very reasonable.
I think you will have a wonderful time.. Enjoy your travels!
Have a wonderful trip to the Philippines it is SO beautiful there! The scenery is very diverse, but really the people are what make the trip worth it in my opinion. They are all so beautiful, warm and hospitable.
I've been twice myself, although unrelated to pearls.. You will have to let us know how your experience is with the pearl farms.
A friend of mine was recently in the Philippines, and his coworker (whom is from Hong Kong originally) bought some SS pearls. He said that it took quite some time to haggle the price down, but that the pears are really quite something. I have not seen the pearls yet, but from my understanding his coworker is quite the pearl connoisseur, so they should be quite spectacular! I'm not sure where she bought the pearls, although I know that they did not go to any of the pearl farms, however the price was very reasonable.
I think you will have a wonderful time.. Enjoy your travels!
