Jeremy, thanks for this answer, this is becoming most interesting!
About European affiliates: is EdelKontor also your baby? Their logo is similar to yours and I definitely saw some very familiar photos there
. If not, can you give some directions, so that we could buy knowing that this is from your reserves but without long postage and without paying 20% tax on outseas purchases?
What are those mysterious peices that sell in Europe but not in the US? What sort of items (or type of pearls)?
Back to Hollywood vs politicians, both in the US and elsewhere. Can you say something about the balance between the classical look (8mm 18 inches) and the challenging style (with new types of pearls, SS or Tahitians, or FW barouques)? Is there any difference there?
Another problem that we still can not solve ('we' - are two academic scientists and two journalists who also got terribly interested in the topic) is what has provoked the new wave of interest to pearls and when did it happen. My husband remembers that in 1950-1960s one of his aunts wearing pearls was considered almost an outcast as a a dreary conservative nose-up somebody. Another colleague of mine told me that in Holland it has always been looked as a joy for 'kakkerig' ladies (despised). And then it changed. When? Why? Is it because just times changed (no rebellious 1960-1970s anymore) or is it the production side which offered more opportunities?
I guess you should have felt it being in this business for so long...
