Japan Kasumi Love 2009

[kojimapearl]

Before I begin my annual chore of sorting and drilling our new pearls from Lake Kasumi ga Ura, Japan.... I am always amazed by their natural colors. We were lucky to get a brilliant, although smaller lot this year. (more golden colors than in years past)
I wanted to share with you the pearls that are gradually taking shape into strands on my stringing board right now. I definetly have my work cut out for me this rainy afternoon in San Francisco. A cup of tea, happy music and shiney pearls to brighten any day!
Enjoy!
Sarah

 

[boo]

Wow...just wow. Those pearls in the bottom photo look like carnival glass!

 

[waimeamomi]

I second that Wow. Could be worse things on a rainy day. In San Francisco (one of my favorite places). Wow.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Wow. What a treat to come home from work and seeing those colors.

 

[AMc]

Wow...just wow. Those pearls in the bottom photo look like carnival glass!

My thoughts exactly! What a treat- I wouldn't have the heart to sell them if they were in my stock. You're going to have some extremely lucky customers- I wish I was one!

 

[Nerida]

Oh my goodness.... can you do something please Sarah that doesn't make us all green with envy?

 

[MistofCassiopeia]

Just beautiful Sarah! It would be so hard for me to part with those!

 

[Mervione]

Beautiful! Are you going to sell any of these loose?

 

[pattye]

Sarah,

Those are just dazzling! I love the Kasumis---with their opalescent colors--so glad there is still a small production. How many farms are producing this year? I know from your previous reports it is very few. LOVE how you keep showing us the creme de la creme! Annual chore???!!! LOL!! Bring it on!

 

[john675]

Ahhh - that warms me up nicely from our cold winter days. The colors are amazing and there are some whoppers in that collection. The last picture does indeed look like carnival glass, boo!

 

[Nora]

Beautiful !

How large are they?

 

[pearlescence]

I third that wow!

 

[kojimapearl]

Glad you all enjoyed the Japan Kasumi photos.
Mervione, yes we will be offering some loose pearls for sale. Usually I do what I can with the strands and those that do not fit are sold as singles. I have quite the work load this week, preparing for the show in Tucson, but I will try to get them up as soon as I can.
Pattye, Thank you for your compliments, Yes every year, for nearly ten years,around this time, I sit down and sort the harvest and make as many strands as I can. There are still only three farmers working in Lake Kasumi. Our latest lot of pearls is actually from a different farmer than in years past. This year's harvest was expectedly smaller, making Japan Kasumi pearls possibly the only cultured pearls on earth that actually go up in value.
Nlerner, The sizes of the Japan Kasumi pearls in these photos range from 10-15mm, although the majority of them are 10-12mm.
When I am finished with the Japan Kasumi pearls, I will move on to making strands of natural wild conch pearls. Hoepfully I will have photos of those before I leave!
Thanks, Sarah

 

[Pearlgully]

Hi Sarah,

Just curious as to why you refer to these as "Japan Kasumi pearls"? Why not just "Kasumi" as I've always heard them called? Is this an effort to brand them?


Gail

 

[AMc]

10-15mm!!! Oh my my my...

 

[Heidi]

HI Sarah -

Thank you for sharing! One of my very favorite pearls anywhere, these are. The iridescence and colors you have this year are pretty amazing. Can't wait to see what you do with them - the prospect a 15mm Kasumi something has me distracted.

 

[GemGeek]

Be still my beating heart! What a joy to open this thread and see those photos. It makes me want to teach everyone about the joys of colored pearls.

 

[kojimapearl]

Pearl Gully,
No just the opposite actually. Many years ago a brand name "kasumiga" was born from another pearl company. It was nominally successful, and I believe it has been dropped.......however because it was a brand name, it was not necessary for those pearls to be from Lake Kasumi ga Ura in Japan (they were simply "kasumiga" pearls). In fact, in those years Fuji and I saw many a strand with this branding that we could only assume were Chinese pearls with a similar surface quality. (I should say...this was never proven, simply our suspicion).
So in an effort to correct the vocabulary of the pearl market and the public at large... We decided to deem our pearls... JAPAN KASUMI, to differentiate them from the brand name, and as well from the "chinese kasumi" pearls that have in recent months become a much more common sight.
I hope that makes sense!
Thanks for asking.

 

[Kaywal]

They are amazing!

 

[Skypearl]

Oh wow, the colors are amazing!