Exim Jewellers Gulf Natural Pearls 2nd visit.
Exim Jewellers Gulf Natural Pearls 2nd visit.
Hello there to all my Gulf Natural pearl loving friends.
I wanted to update you on my latest visit to Mr Jayesh F Jhaveri (I'm not sure why I keep using his full name when posting here but I think as there are so many Jhaveri's posting about pearls it's good to differate). The weather is getting nice and cool now in Dubai as we are facing into our "winter" (never drops to below 15c here so blessed) so I'd thought venturing down to Bur Dubai after spending the morning making a iPhone map out of it. Packed up some ice cold water and headache tablets in case the traffic and bad driving put me over the edge I boarded my lovely old Merc (another adventure of mine - classic Daimlers) and pointed her toward North Dubai.
Interestingly I made it down there with barely raising the heart beat and just kept plodding until I hit the creek and parked up beside Dubai museum and my favourite area in Dubai called
"Bastakiya" which is just gorgeous to wander around and kill a morning or afternoon if you have time. The best little gallery and cafe there is here
http://www.xvagallery.com/ by the way if anyone is ever venturing down that direction, just perfect.
(I've attached a picture of it first picture going clockwise)
So I digress, now that I have a 45% idea of where Mr Jayesh F. Jhaveri's shop is I saunter taking my time and taking the sights and smells of "Little Bombay" - it's such a dramatic change of where I live in Dubai 50km south from here a place called the Marina as it's all expats and quite sterile.
I found Exim jewellers again after doing my usual walking straight past it twice, I'd forgot of what a tiny little slither of a place it is - there is one other customer in there and immediately when I enter the place feels crowded. Mr Jayesh F. Jhaveri (Jay from now on in as you got the point by now!
) was there behind the counter and immediately recognises me and treats me to firm hand shake and seat in his office.
This is the beauty of Dubai, I trip up unannounced in flips flops and dress shorts and he treats me just like the immaculately dressed gentleman in traditional dish-disha (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thawb) who is viewing the same Gulf Natural pearls. FYI Mr Jay does not refer to them as "Basra" pearls but natural pearls only as I suspect the term Barsa pearls is bandied about too much in the hope of upweigthing prices.
We talk for awhile about pearls and reconnect.
I'm in luck as the gentlemen from Q8 is there to buy a large amount and strikes up a conversation with me - thinks I'm Italian (should have shaved today!) but quickly brought him round to where Belfast is and he is truly bemused why an Irish man is in viewing and talking pearls in Bur Dubai;
"pearls popular in Ireland then?" he muses
"errr....not really, my mum likes them alot though!". Great experience and true Arab warmth at it's very best. So unfortunate that we grew up and live in a world where we have an ingrained image of Arabia as a bad and ultimately dangerous. The relationship between Christian western Europe and the Arabs has been one of the most complex and pyrotechnically hysterical international love affairs. It's been marked by both avid adoration and cringing distaste. Honestly you got bad people anywhere in the world and in general I've experienced some of the warmest hospitality here in the Gulf since I've been here.
Anyway's what I get to see this time is real live pearl trading and Mr Jay has a huge selection of Gulf Naturals on display. If you view the picture top right of four groups of pearls on red silk (the traditional way to show GNP's) you will see on the right ungraded GNP's in a large group which are being offered as a whole bundle. Price I don't feel would be right to disclose as Mr Jay is a wholesaler but let's just say it would be significant and the sort of money you'd pay for the newest model 991 (911) from Porsche. Eye watering in other words. But amazing all the same as these are the rarest of the rare pearls all shapes sizes and colours.
The cluster of tiny pearls bottom right are seed GNP's which I feel are going to used to be "sewn" into jewellery which is quite popular in Indian jewellery - local jeweller Liali has reintroduced this again and I've posted a picture of this before but link here for those who are interested
http://www.albawaba.com/business/pr/liali-natural-pearls-collection-432137. Not my personal taste but I think they could be used to create a lovely bracelet if well threaded in multi strands. Caitlin had showcased some beautiful examples of using GNP's in the past worth sharing again.
The small cluster on the bottom left are gradeAAA GNP's large size and just beautiful - again price is that a fairly decent few year old top of the range Mercedes but in my view worth it. None have the Bahrain lab certificate as these were collected before the Bahrain lab existed but Mr Jay is reputable man trading on four generations of his families name but will happily include the cost of lab certification and the 4 weeks to do it if needed.
Top left cluster. These are incredible - all AAA grade sublime perfect GNP's - I'm so sorry my phone does not do better macro quality to show you the quality of these but they are as close to perfection as you'll ever see. This little group is priced for Sheikh's only I'm afraid as just incredible. Again I'm not posting any prices here as Mr Jay good enough to take the time and show me his wares that his family have collected for generations.
On that note I get to meet Mr Jay's son who is equally as much of a gentleman as his father and mentions he will be doing the global rounds of auctions soon and will help me find what ever I need if I need so. We plan to stay in touch and if anything interesting comes up GNP wise at auction he will let me know
I hope you all enjoy the pictures and that I've brought back some life into the glory of Gulf Natural Pearls here.
The biggest takeaway from me on this trip is that watching the pearls being traded at the counter like this in the traditional metal holed sorting trays is that I am witnessing a time old tradition and feel very privileged to do so. My thoughts are also that these magical pearls are one thing that are not being made any more and that this it it. It's a sad thought to think pearls of this quality and provenance may no longer been seen but happy to see that the art of pearl trading still goes on.
Best wishes.
