Much needed education for consumers and jewellers

[jerin]

Hi, members of the forum!

I just want to take up something that really matters to consumers as it concerns us directly (and our purses). I live in Sweden and genrally I would say we are a people widely educated on a lot of matters.
This, unfortunately is not valid when it comes to pearls. I have severl strands of different pearls, CFWPS, Akoya and Tahitian strands but believe me - most people seem to be totally ignorant when it comes to knowledge on the subject.

This stretches as far as to my own local jeweller, who I consider to be an honest man until today, when I was showing him one of my baroque Tahitian strands (wanting him to tell me how fine it was). His comment: such pearls would people over here (in Sweden and probably in Europe) not want, as they want to have round pearls (probably they don´t know what a baroque pearl is). And then he told me that he had such pearls in stock. I was really surprised, I have never seen South Sea perls in his shop so I asked him to show them to me.

Surprise - surprise: they turned out to be circled freshwater pearls, dyed into a dark colour not even remotely resembling Tahitians!

I nearly got a fit and I told him in no uncertain terms that these were no Tahitian pearls. The only pearls he has are some Akoya strands and Freshwater strands.

What I want to emphasize is the fact that even he as an educated man does know much less than I (the consumer). Of course it is up to me to get educated so I am not ripped off (he was rather impressed when I picked out the finest of his Akoya strands, the pearl size was just 3,5 - 4 mm, very high luster - still extremely overprized in my opinion.

So, if not even the jewellers know the basics how can we expect the consumers to know/do better for themselves?

I really hope that the industry and all sellers (online or at shops) can find a way to get their information to the customers, especially to those peaople who do not have a computer (here in Sweden almost every one has at least one) and cannot gain access to the Internet, because at least over here, these people are the ones who probably could afford fine pearl jewellery and perhaps would buy it if the pearls were being promoted.

These are some of my personal thoughts and I do feel sorry for myself that no one over here seems to be able to recognize a fine South Sea Tahitan strand or even fine Freshwater pearls or Akoyas.

Jerin

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Inge,

You make a very good point there. With gold prices going through the roof, pearls are usually first in line as alternative means of adornment. This phenomenon tends to get the more pronounced, the more women buy their own jewelry rather than wait to be presented with such. Women are also a lot better at comparison shopping for jewels than men because they are rarely in a pinch to get something fast because they procrastinated too long for an upcoming birthday or holiday.

As you know, there are plenty of books out on the subject and you already own Pearls by Elisabeth Strack, which is about the most comprehensive and up-to-date one available. However, it is not a casual read like Fred Ward's pearl book. In my opinion, every jeweler should have a copy each in their store and at home. It is an empowering feeling to be educated and it should be shameful to jewelers to be less enlightend on the subject then their potential customers. I admit that there can be too much of a good thing and I would probably be a terrible sales person in a store. At least profit margin wise.

Zeide

 

[Hyun-Yoon Yoon]

Hi! Zeide

I am reading a Elisabeth' Pearl book.

I cannot find her contact information.

Do you know her e-mail or homepage address?

In her book, I saw the following content.

" ~ she established her own gem testing laboratory in Hamburg in 1976,

which she named "Gemmologisches Institut Hamburg" in 1994"


Hyun-Yoon Yoon

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi,

Here is the link to Elisabeth Strack's bio & e-mail again: http://www.gemmobasel2005.org/speakers/strack.html


Zeide

 

[Caitlin]

I got an email from her personally:Elisabeth Strack: info@strack-gih.de

 

[jerin]

Pearl quality - from a customer?s point of view

Pearl quality - from a customer?s point of view

Hi members of the forum,

here is q auestion to every one of You who is selling pearls online:

what do you do to maintain high pearl quality in reference to Your customers?

How often do You check the nacre thickness of certain pearls - or do You trust your source without ever checking (farm or factory) from year to year?

I am asking this because of all the treatments available! You really cannot judge a pearl by it´s luster anymore and that goes for SS, Tahitians, Akoyas and probably this is valid as well for overtreated freshwater pearls in some cases.

So how do You make certain Your customers get the best pearls available?

Thanks for comments

Inge Jernberg

 

[purepearls]

Dear Inge,
You've hit the nail on the head! Unfortunately, many jewelers truly are uneducated about what they are selling or they count on the customer to be uneducated and try to pull a fast one. However, there are excellent jewelers out there who are always doing their research and keeping up with the current trends so they can accurately educate their customers. I feel consumers should empower themselves with the knowledge they need to make an educated pearl purchase. Pearls are so complex and if a consumer is not educated, he or she will not know what they are getting. I naturally try to educate everyone. I have a background as a speech-language pathologist where on a daily basis it was up to me to teach the parents how to transition therapy to the home. That need to educate my clients has continued into this business because it is up to us as experts to deliver the truth to customers. I feel better knowing that whomever a consumer chooses to purchases through, at least they know what they are buying and whether it is a good value or not.

Forums such as this one is an amazing way for consumers to get great information from other consumers and pearl experts.

As far as quality check, our stock moves quickly so everytime we get in new inventory we do a strict quality check on all pearls and then we sort them into appropriate categories. If the stock doesn't make our quality standards, it goes back to the farm. When on a buying trip at the farms, we meticulously go through all of the strands and choose which ones we are taking back to the US.

 

[jerin]

Pearl quality check

Pearl quality check

Hello Amanda

and thank You for a fast and straight answer. As customer I need to be comfortable with whoever I am buying from as I have next to nothing but my own good sense and a lot of trust in my seller.


Inge Jernberg

 

[purepearls]

Being able to trust your seller is very important and the cornerstone to building a solid relationship! However, I think your "good sense" is your most powerful tool.