It's not just eBay anymore - diamondsforabuck.com

[jshepherd]

It looks like eBay-like scams are hitting Craigslist too.

South Sea akoya ... aka dyed Chinese freshwater.
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/jwl/2875820492.html

Akoya from Tahiti (?!?!) ... aka $1 strand of Chinese freshwater.
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/jwl/2851221084.html

The guy has a lot of listings and every one is the same story. He has a site too, apparently, called diamondsforabuck.com. His entire pearl section is filled with the same drivel.

Pearl Police?

http://www.diamondsforabuck.com/categories/PEARLS/

 

[Amanda]

Those aren't even nice freshwater pearls.

 

[pbazar]

Peter Bazar
12:42 PM (2 hours ago)

to 5bg6s-28512210.
They are not Akoya pearls

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/jwl/2851221084.html

Russiangems
2:33 PM (24 minutes ago)

to me
Another stupid person who makes comments with out knowing what they are talking about! Do a little research and you will find out that Akoya pearls are now produced in multiple locations throughout the world, and not just Japan anymore!!!!!!!!!!!

Also Mikimoto pearls which I myself prefer and at one time were strictly grown in Japan just as the Akoya pearls were are now also harvested in China.

So in short do your research before making a comment!

Peter Bazar
2:48 PM (10 minutes ago)

to Russiangems
I am a Pearl Expert with 30 year in the business. Vice President of the Cultured Pearl Association of America. BOD AGTA. Yes Akoya are grown in China. Those pearls are ringed Chinese Freshwater.
Peter Bazar
President

And here is a interesting article of Akoya pearls thas is published in Wikipedia.


Peter Bazar
2:56 PM (2 minutes ago)

to Russiangems
Don't need them helped to write them

 

[pbazar]

I know what I sale and by the way my family and I have been in the retail jewelry business for almost seventy years so we do have you beat! Now read the Wiki post that I sent you, and if needed I can send you another thousand sources about Akoya pearls.

Now it is true about thirty years ago Akoya pearls were just from Japan as were the Mikimoto but as you know most of the pearl beds in Japan were damaged by pollution a long time ago, so the majority of production of fine pearls were moved to other Countries. Now Japan only produces a small percent of the cultured pearls that are now used in the Jewelry industry, and China is now the largest producer along with a few other Asian countries. And yes they are called Akoya pearls! Now if I was to say in my advertisements that these were Akoya pearls were from Japan then I would be wrong, since Japan is no longer the main producer of Akoya Cultured pearls in the world.

Now closing you might have thirty years in the pearl business, but you HAVE NOT kept up on what is called Akoya of Mikomoto pearls because times are a changing!

And just one more point J?CK had an interesting article about Akoya pearls a few years ago if I can find it I will send you a copy of it.

 

[pearl guide]

Wow. This is really sad. The person doesn't seem to know anything about pearls. Maybe the seller really doesn't know what akoya pearls are.

Then again, everything the seller has are dyed Chinese freshwater pearls and he is calling them akoya, South Sea, Tahitians, and of course akoya pearls from tahiti, lol. That sounds like an intentional scam.

 

[Amanda]

Chap needs English lessons, as well as pearly tutoring.

 

[pbazar]

Peter Bazar
3:13 PM (5 minutes ago)

to Russiangems
by the way my family and I have been in the retail jewelry business for almost seventy years not Quite we have been in business since 1892

http://www.imperialpearl.com/Imperial/Imperial-Company-history.asp

These pearls are not from Tahiti and are not Akoya! There are no Akoya pearls farmed in French Polynesia.

 

[pearl guide]

Anybody else want to argue with them?

russiangems@yahoo.com

 

[pbazar]

Russiangems
3:50 PM (0 minutes ago)

to me
Do your research and again you will find out that I'm correct!

But with all of that said and done Akoya pearls are now harvested not only in Asia but also throughout the South pacific.

Thank you again for your comments and time, and to tell you the truth I believed just as you do a few years ago since my family bought most of their jewelry from the trade shows held in the United States, and they did not import directly. So the wholesale cost was highly inflated. Now in the last ten years I started importing directly directly from producer and my cost of diamonds, gemstones, pearls and other items have dropped ten fold! So I now know the true cost of these items. I'm very careful on who I buy my inventory from now days and when my pearl suppliers tell me that a strand of pearls are from a certain location I do believe them since my relationship with them has been going on for a decade. Now yes there is no stamped trademark on the pearls I do have to rely on my suppliers honesty.

The jewelry business has changed in years past when I was able to buy all of my inventory from America and it was made by Americans and I was happy with triple Keystone prices. But now 95% of the jewelry is made oversea, India for rings, Italy for chains, and China for pearls.

Just a quick point China now own over twenty pearl farms in the South pacific alone, and controls over 85% of the cultured pearl market.

I don't like it but that's the way it is.

 

[pbazar]

Peter Bazar
4:13 PM (0 minutes ago)

to Russiangems
I just returned from Hong Kong, Japan ,Philippines, Indonesia and Tahiti.

Please educate yourself as you don't know what you are talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/pearltalks

Please review pearl talks to understand I know what I am talking about.

The pearls you advertised if they were Akoya are not Tahitian South Sea.

Yes Akoya pearls are Farmed in Japan, China, Vietnam and Australia.

They are not farmed in Tahiti!

Correct your ad

 

[pbazar]

not good


http://www.diamondsforabuck.com/categories/PEARLS/

 

[Mikeyy]

Just to add to the BS this phoney craigslist dealer is spewing. Why would a guy with a area code in Tennessee be trying to sell his "Tahitian South Sea Akoya" pearls in Hemet California? Geeez, what a moron. Get a clue guy. You've been discovered by the crack team at PG and you are busted. I assume your stones are just as phoney as your pearls. I really don't like thiefs and liars. What would have been wrong with just saying you had FW pearls? Nothing wrong with that. Boggles the mind.

 

[pearl guide]

This just in from a member of our faithful pearl police:

China now owns twenty plus pearl harvesting farms in the South pacific and those numbers grow each year. Now I'm not from China and I was born here in America and my family have been in the retail jewelry business since the 1940's so I do know what I'm talking about.

Also Cheryl when the Chinese took over the market in cultured pearl production they did so in a Hugh way, they now control over 85% of the world production of salt water cultured pearl production and almost 100% of fresh water pearl production.

China's production of salt water pearls consist of over twenty farms in the South Seas and thousands of them through Asia, and by owning the majority of pearls farms they have forced Akoya and Mikimoto to do business with them, so now most Akoya and Mikimoto pearls are grown by Chinese under contract and in other Countries other than Japan.

The pearl business has changed big time in the past thirty years just as the production of jewelry and diamond sales have also changed, and if you don't keep on top of the changes you become missed informed.

Now a lot of jewelers will tell you that Akoya and Mikimoto pearls are grown in Japan forty years ago that was the truth but now they are almost all grown by Chinese companies under contract. Just as Debeers at one timed controlled the diamond market now they control less than 35% of it!

I think it's pretty clear that the seller is knowingly ripping people off now. Everything he wrote is completely made up and 100% false. Some people will do anything to swindle.

 

[pbazar]

Russiangems russiangems@yahoo.com
4:29 PM (18 minutes ago)

to me
Let me find the link and will send to you about my South sea pearls, it might be a day or two since I do own a few websites and have interest in multiple retail outlets, and I still manufacture a lot of my own jewelry all the way from designed to casting and finishing.

The jewelry industry and its wholesale pricing structure has eroded no longer is it monopolistic anybody with a little no how can buy directly from the producer, and by buying from the producer prices have been slashed ten times. Just like diamonds in the past I had to buy from a diamond broker who in turn bought from a cutter who bought rough from Debeers. Now I buy my diamonds directly from the cutter who gets the rough from Russia, Canada or Africa. Debeers no longer control what I pay for diamonds. And its the same with pearls no longer do I have to buy from a wholesaler I can now buy directly from the farm.

I respect your opinion and I do understand what you are saying, but even though you knowledgeable about pearls you don't have all of the answers, but neither do I.

 

[pbazar]

Peter Bazar
4:47 PM (0 minutes ago)

to Russiangems
Bobby
I buy directly from the farms and process my own pearls. I buy millions of dollars at a time. Your suppliers are lying to you. You are making yourself look foolish. I would be glad to help you understand pearls. Not all pearl wholesalers are honest.

All Akoya pearls come from a common shell to make it easy we will call it the Akoya
Pinctada Martensii AKA P.Fucata These shell do not grow in French Polynesia.
again I would be glad to help you understand

 

[Amanda]

I've "flagged" the post on craig's list and reported it as a scam.

 

[pearl guide]

Here is his his response to me -

You are wrong again!

And yes most of my pearls are Akoya and they come from multiple locations throughout the world but mostly Asian Countries and they are almost all salt water. And yes a few of my pearl strands do come from the South Pacific and I have some fantastic Golden pearls that are also from the South Pacific.

Now we could discuss this all day and we would not get anywhere because I know who buy from and where they are located, and I've been doing business with them for over ten years and as far as I know they have not lied to me yet. My business is built on trust and I trust the suppliers who sale to me.

His akoya pearls are "almost" all saltwater??? So maybe he carries some freshwater akoya, lol.

A big warning to anyone who finds Diamonds For A Buck (Diamondsforabuck.com) on Google or any of the other engines. This guy is a fraud. I would expect his diamonds to be fake too.

 

[Caitlin]

[FONT=&quot]Me to him
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Excuse me, but those are not akoyas, they are dyed cultured freshwater pearls! I am reporting you to Craig's list AS A SCAM[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/jwl/2875820492.html[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]



First you better read Wikipedia to find information about Akoya pearls! And since you have not done any research you better do so before you libel yourself.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Wiki link is here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]So get a life and learn about pearls before you make any claims on what my merchandise is!!!!![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]From:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] caitlin williams
To: vcvwr-2875820492@sale.craigslist.org
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2012 5:16 PM
Subject: FANTASTIC SOUTH SEAS AKOYA CULTURED PEARL NECKLACE 17IN - $79 (Hemet)[/FONT]

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

Me to him: [FONT=&quot]Why don't you Google me and find out what I know about pearls? I wrote part of the article in Wikipedia.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/jwl/2875820492.html[/FONT]

 

[pbazar]

Russiangems
to me
Believe me I know that! But as I mentioned my family has been in the jewelry business since 1940's and I've been in it since 1968 which when I look back it seems as if it was yesterday.

About my pearl suppliers I do trust them and have been doing business with them for over ten years and they are located in Australia. I've been in business for ever and I'm very careful about what and who I buy from when it comes to jewelry.
*Now pearl sales are less than one percent of all sales, and all of my buyers have been very happy with their pearl purchases from me because of price and quality.
So in short yes I have to relay upon what my seller tells me when it comes to the location that my pearls come from, but that is based upon a business relationship that has gone on for ten plus years and during that time a level of trust has been built.

Now when I buy diamonds I buy from a source that assures me that they are not blood diamonds, but as with diamonds they can be analyzed to determine where they came from, but I cannot test every diamond to determine its origin because the cost would prohibit that. And pearls since there is no way to determine where they were grown I have to believe the person with whom I buy from.

Back to work, but I enjoyed chatting with you.

 

[pbazar]

Peter Bazar
to Russiangems
You can tell where pearls come from. Each type of pearl has very unique characteristics. For example Tahtain pearls come from *Pictada Margeritatiera and has a unique color palate ranging from black to grey to green and cherry. With experience one would instantly recognize those pearls as coming from Pictada Margeritatiera. Freshwater pearls are white peach purple an experienced pearl expert will know a freshwater pearl when they see one and the pearls you are selling are ringed freshwater pearls. They are too large to be Akoya for the Akoya shell is small. They are not from Pictada Margeritatiera they are white. I could go on. Are you doing business with My Southsea pearls? They are from Australia and they not honest.
You may know about Diamonds I am not a diamond expert but I know pearls and what I am hearing and see on your website is all wrong. It needs to be corrected. Just to begin I hope you understand there are no Tahtain or freshwater Akoya pearls. Please don't believe the person you are buying from they are wrong