Gulf Natural Pearls

[Donzi32]

Hello to all again and been awhile since I posted last.

Just a quick update I am still on the hunt for the perfect set of Gulf Natural Pearls and a little more research through ringing some pearl dealers in Bahrain uncovers some a lovely source of pearls here in Dubai. And it was the type of place that you would never, ever know sold pearls as their business was mainly B2B and had a tiny retail front in the middle of Bur Dubai (which is considered the first main built up part of Dubai from over 30 years and now called little Bombay as 90% Indians).

Exim jewellers is the name of the shop and the owner was a delightful gentleman how was incredibly polite, warm and friendly towards all my questions. One of the nicest things was that the owner is 4 generations of pearl dealing in his family - grand father, father, himself and now his son and they all specialise in Gulf Naturals from Bahrain.

In the back room of the shop sat a huge safe and the owner pulled out two large A4 size tins containing all manner of Gulf Naturals. It was an incredible site and real honour to see his rare and valuable collection right there in front of me so humbly - there was over a million dirhams of pearls there and all Gulf Naturals!

The lovely pearl shown on the top left was about 8-9mm and 4.2 carat plus (worth over Dhs30,000 about USD$8,200).

The owner showed me a fabulous vintage of jewellery with a 3+ carat on a gold chain with diamonds. The piece was over 70 years old and just magical (apologies no photograph of it).

Overall the experience was beyond my expectations and I was left speechless after searching for Gulf Naturals for so long only to discover decades worth of pearls in the most unlikely place in Dubai - this city never ceases to amaze me at times.

Point worth noting that none of the pearls the owner had the Bahrain lab cert but he was more than happy to send to the lab there for certification. Reason being a lot the pearls were collected before the Bahrain lab existed.

Hope you enjoy the pictures best wishes to all.

 

[Caitlin]

WOW!!!!! YOU HIT THE MOTHER LODE!!!!!

I knew there was a shop like that. That is what I told you to go looking for and wow!! did you do it!!!!! I am so impressed!!!!!

When you get a receipt from those guys saying what they are, that will be enough for most natural pearl buffs, if even that much is needed. The pros do not generally certify natural pearls in natural pearl circles. Only if you want to sell them at auction or to provide the reassurance to those less knowledgeable.

Did you get any prices? Like how much for a strand of the small ones? Do they take PayPal? (joke!!!)

 

[Caitlin]

And look at those creamy whites. They are so beautiful in their natural glory.

What does it take to get an invite to the pearl museum in the bank vault? They have baskets a yard across, piled up with pearls in there. I think Jeremy got to go in there when he was a speaker at a pearl conference in Dubai a few years ago.

Tell them you are writing on the subject or something. (Because you are, even if you don't get more formal)

 

[pattye]

Donzi,

Truly amazing photos, extraordinary pearls! Thank you so much for the fine report! I was also wondering about cost of the long strand of small pearls. Love that the traditional red cloth is still used.

 

[Caitlin]

My grandfather always said that people thought red silk showed the pearls off the best. He also kept loose pearls on small red hanky sized squares, tied at the neck. I think that is traditional too. He had one squre with tiny baroques in odd colors, black, purple, green, blue -and more...

 

[Donzi32]

This is one of the greatest things about Dubai you can walk into any shop from the Ferrari dealer to the local gas station in your flip flops or Tom Ford suit and you're treated the same. The owner was so gracious in showing me these pearls traded and collected from over the decades.

Price wise I can tell you the top left hand picture (apologies had stated top right in last comment) pearl is drilled and over 6 carats (corrected again) and was Dhs32,000 (USD$8,200) - I forgot the gram weight but it was significant. Size wise it was 8-9mm.

For the 70 year old pendant on gold with diamonds and5 carat pearl price was about Dhs15,000.

For the smaller seed pearls the owner offered to make a double strand 17cm bracelet with 18ct gold clasp for about Dhs2,000 - Dhs2,500.

I don't think they do paypal Caitlin as they are wholesalers and deal B2B for example remember RAK Pearls apparently they get little natural pearls in their oysters too and have been known to trade them.

I can ask the owner if they sell to overseas clients. I asked about Russians (apologies to all Russians on the board!!) as that is a great barometer for trade - if Russians are buying it Dubai it means the product is mainstream and open for transaction to all.

The shop is called Exim Jewellers LLC and the owners email is eximjew@emirates.net.ae
Owner is Mr J. F. Jhaveri and an incredibly helpful, warm and thoroughly nice chap indeed.
It's his family's business and his shop should be a protected national heritage.

 

[Caitlin]

Thanks Donzi.
I was pulling your leg about PayPal.

So a double strand bracelet in $$ would be about 500?

 

[Donzi32]

Location wise for those living in these parts it is very close to the Astoria Hotel, Al Fahidi St - Dubai - again the shop has been there for years literally about 10ft wide and 30 ft deep one window affair.

Invite wise the owner was accommodating he said simply ring me when you are coming down and I'll be there. I couldn't find the place and he said wait in the hotel lobby I will come and get you. So he meet me there and kindly took me down the streets to his shop. An amazing experience. The owner was just so humble, modest and open I would feel positively guilty to showcase his pearls anywhere else but here as he even advised that these pearls would be very expensive to make a bracelet from.

We stopped and chatted for awhile and he told me stories a beautiful gulf natural bracelet by Cartier that was sold at auction by Christies in Geneva - he then got the bracelet through a contact there and then sold it to a friend here.

He said he might be able to source similar again as lots of these pieces stay within the industry traded between the pearl business owners etc.

Google maps of it below:

https://maps.google.ae/maps?hl=en&i...32&ei=kx09UJXiMoHwrQfRtoCQBQ&ved=0CMgBEPwSMAA

 

[Caitlin]

I am practically in tears at the depth of your investigation! I can't thank you enough for following up on the pearls so well!

This brings such fabulous information to the forum. We have hardly cracked the natural pearl world and your info is invaluable.

Should you write a piece on your adventures, we would be so happy to put it up here in the news and articles section. Take your time, you may just be at the beginning and I can't think of anyone better placed and more worthy of writing a full fledged piece on whatever you can find out about pearls in the gulf region. esp the natural ones.

A huge Mwaah! (That's an air-kiss blown your way)

 

[Caitlin]

Osman! Likewise!!!

 

[Donzi32]

I am practically in tears at the depth of your investigation! I can't thank you enough for following up on the pearls so well!

This brings such fabulous information to the forum. We have hardly cracked the natural pearl world and your info is invaluable.

Should you write a piece on your adventures, we would be so happy to put it up here in the news and articles section. Take your time, you may just be at the beginning and I can't think of anyone better placed and more worthy of writing a full fledged piece on whatever you can find out about pearls in the gulf region. esp the natural ones.

A huge Mwaah! (That's an air-kiss blown your way)

It's absolutely my pleasure as you all have been offering so many pearls (pun intended) of wisdom to me on my search for my mum's 60th present.

You know what I think the owner of this shop, that his grandfather probably might have traded and/or knew of your grandfather back then as many pearls went to Bombay through Dubai and the world being such a small place.

It truly was such a magnificent experience tonight and think I will definitely repay the store a visit even if it more wholesale and than retail.

Writing wise absolutely let me know your thoughts and any pearl topic you would like covered. Apparently there is one other shop trading gulf naturals in Dubai so would be interested to pay a visit there too.

This is one of the great things I love about Dubai you literally never know what you will find here from one day to the next and unfortunately so many people never experience the bustle of down town Bur Dubai which is the most "real" thing about it.

 

[Caitlin]

Just take notes and photos of your pearly adventures and write what you please. It will all be new to us. No pressure. Just enjoy your journey- and record it!

 

[Donzi32]

Thanks Donzi.
I was pulling your leg about PayPal.

So a double strand bracelet in $$ would be about 500?

A little more than USD$500 I'm afraid - at current exchange Dhs2,500 would be about USD$680.

But he did say he could use slightly smaller pearls if price was an issue.

Happy to investigate more for you - my view is that I'd like the Bahrain Lab Certificate with it as well as ultimately the pearls you pick would be sent to Bahrain to be strung there.

 

[Caitlin]

I sure would not turn down an opportunity to get the certificate!

 

[Donzi32]

Just take notes and photos of your pearly adventures and write what you please. It will all be new to us. No pressure. Just enjoy your journey- and record it!

It's been an amazing adventure so far and really positively anyone who I have meet in regards to pearls have been fantastic people and really great to meet. Must be an industry specific thing as certainly not the case in my industry!

 

[Caitlin]

May you prosper in your industry, and keep up pearls as a passion and a hobby.

 

[GemGeek]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Donzi32]

Gulf Natural Pearls collectors boxes

Gulf Natural Pearls collectors boxes

I forgot to mention just how much I loved the antique tins that the shop owner had stored this amazing pearls in from years ago.

When asked he said yes these were the same antique tins that his father would have used to store them from years ago.

Had the most delightfully worn pearl scoop as well that looked like it was 40 years old and full of character.

 

[Donzi32]

And look at those creamy whites. They are so beautiful in their natural glory.

What does it take to get an invite to the pearl museum in the bank vault? They have baskets a yard across, piled up with pearls in there. I think Jeremy got to go in there when he was a speaker at a pearl conference in Dubai a few years ago.

Tell them you are writing on the subject or something. (Because you are, even if you don't get more formal)

I can try and find out more for you in terms of getting an invite into the pearl museum here Caitlin. In general you'll find that nearly all public facilities like this in the UAE are very much open and welcoming and represent true Arabic hospitality.

In my experience all the local Emiratis I have meet here have been very welcoming and open and keen to engage in conversation. Very much like how the Irish were before we had the economic boom then bust!

Shame there are not more expat's and locals on this forum from the UAE and Gulf.

 

[Donzi32]

Gulf Natural Pearls from another source

Gulf Natural Pearls from another source

Hi all - wanted to share with you another source of GNP's direct from Bahrain - these come with a Bahrain Lab Certificate too.

This is a bracelet I thought was interesting and great value at less than USD$400.

Details below:

Gross Weight - 2.46 GM
Total Pcs - 79
MM1 - 5.1
MM2 - 4.5
Color - Cream
Shape - Button

Would be great to get you feedback on them and thoughts.