15 tons of tahitians pearls ...

[Marama]

Hello,

I heard that finally, more than 15 tons of pearls have been exported last year (2009) from Tahiti ...
I don't believe that ... for a production on crisis.

Any idea? Any more accurate information ?

regards,
Marama

 

[pearlescence]

I heard that a lot of very low grade stuff which might not pass the 2mm test went out...?

 

[jshepherd]

I heard that a lot of very low grade stuff which might not pass the 2mm test went out...?

What is the 2 mm test?

 

[Hanaleimom]

If memory serves, is it .8mm radius, making it a minimum requirement of 1.6mm of nacre in diameter? But we normally refer to it as the .8mm requirement.

Jeremy, who is responsible for the x-ray test? Is it the Department of Fisheries or something similar?

 

[pearlescence]

I meant the nacre x-ray check before export - it may not be 2mm, I am not thinking at my best at the moment

 

[Marama]

.8mm is the layer thickness control with Xray

.8mm is the layer thickness control with Xray

Just to inform that .8mm is the legal thickness of layer ....
so for a pearl, 0.8mm minimum + the diameter of the nucleus + 0.8mm minimum again =the diameter of the pearls

Marama

 

[Josh]

I went to the opening of the "Maison de la Perle" last Friday in Papeete. It's a stone's throw from my office in town. It was funny because of the 500 pearl farmers invited, about ten of us showed up. There were plenty of pearl dealers and other industry peeps though. They were straight into the free champagne. I was sitting with a friend who is going through bankruptcy and though we had a good time, we drank beer.
Our take on the massive quantity exported was that it was from the lifting of the tax. All the big local dealers sent mass amounts to HK and other over seas offices. My feeling is that it was junk that made up the majority.
Cathy, the Service de la Perliculture has been responsible for scanning the pearls up 'til now but now it has morphed into the Maison de la Perle that will eventually (hopefully in the next 6 months) scan everything, sort everything into A, B, C, D and (drum roll please...) put a price on it too. The idea is that the price will determine the minimum it can be sold for and there will be penalties for selling at under that price. My farmer colleagues and I are optimistic for the most part and the pearl dealers are unanimously against it. One thing is sure and that is that a serious and structured change must happen.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Is Maison de la Perle a govt body? Who pays for their service? I hope not the farmers. I guess my question is how are they funded?

 

[Josh]

The legal entity is called an EPIC in French. As I understand it, it's semi private, semi-gov owned. It will be funded by the 50francs a pearl that we (the farmers) now pay to export each pearl. Up until now (and briefly in 2009 when it was lifted) we have paid 200francs a gram which can really add up and work against you when you export large pearls of commercial quality. 200francs is about USD 2.45 so 50f each pearl, not gram is much more do-able.

 

[judimcc6]

So, Josh, are we expecting to see large quantities of these low grade Tahitians at Tucson? I imagine they went to HK, but surely it would be distressing to see low quality offered in Tucson after so much has been done to keep the quality regulated.

 

[Josh]

Hi Judi. Not sure you mean low grade or junk? Junk (unexportable quality) did not slip out due to the lifting of the tax last year. It may have slipped out through other (illegal) channels as it has in the past but this wouldn't show on government stats. When I was in Tucson two years ago, I was disappointed to see junk available and to learn that it's consistently been there for years but this is another subject that we've written about elsewhere on this forum.
So it's possible we might see more "affordable" grade Tahitian pearls at the show this year though there's no reason I can see to expect more of the really bad stuff that shouldn't be getting out of the country.

 

[judimcc6]

So, Jeremy and Josh, would it be terribly inappropriate to include some identifying "junk" and "low grade" assessments during the Pearl Walk? I don't mean to be too counter-culture, but if we were somewhat discreet, it would be an education to see some fringe grade Tahitians or other pearls that would not make the passing grade.

 

[Caitlin]

That kind of Tahitian is to be found in the outlying tents where the necklace pearls are sold. The Gem Mall and G&LW show. It can be third on the list after the AGTA showroom and the GJX across the street. I took Jeremy there a couple of years ago. He was not impressed, but that is where I get most of my lowly beader pearls.

 

[GemGeek]

Although there can be some seriously low quality goods, a trip to the Holidome or Gem Mall can be a lot of fun. Affordable treasures abound. The Gem Mall is a good place to buy pinctada magaratifera shells.

 

[Hanaleimom]

The Gem Mall is a good place to buy pinctada magaratifera shells.

I love those shells. What is the average price and how large are the shells?

 

[GemGeek]

Not sure I remember the price. They are around 3 - 4" polished. Look at my spelling! It's margaritifera. In Tahiti they are $10.00 each.

 

[Josh]

Hi Judi,
Unfortunately those reject grade pearls are not that hard to find. That's what really blew me away when I was there two years ago and to learn that the market for them is strong too. If we see some on the pearl walk I'll be more than happy to point them out.

 

[judimcc6]

I think part of this forum is to identify vendors that are selling pearls that are not up to expectations and I would like to know what of these vendors are participating in a "pull the wool" over their eyes marketing. If these pearls have left their original farms and purchased by vendors just to market Tahitian pearls, whatever quality, it is a deceptive approach to the buyers. Granted we should be able to tell the difference, but it would be nice to weed out a few sly dogs.

 

[Josh]

Hi Judi,
I agree. Today at GJX I was talking to a potential buyer from New York who was at a booth with his partner. While I was talking with the dude, his partner tried to sell a really long strand of various colored Chinese FW's as "Tahitian South Seas" for $300 to two different clients! I was shocked that the guy could look straight at people and just lie to their faces. Other than that, I can report happily that real Tahitian pearls are on the rise. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

 

[judimcc6]

I just got to Tucson and am heading over to GJX so I don't get caught in lines tomorrow morning. If I wear really high heels, I can step on some very pointy toes! I hate when they do that.