Micronesian Pearls

[SteveM]

Thanks for the perspective, let's hope the situation stabilizes so we can look forward to more of those blue/gold pearls from Post #1.

 

[Ragnorak]

I'm not sure if the situation on Nukuoro with regards to the farm increasing production will change any time soon.

Some background information for those who maybe interested.

The College of Micronesia Land Grant Program (based in Pohnpei) is separate from the Nukuoro Black Pearl Project mentioned in the article I posted a link to.

It could be said the the community based farm on Nukuoro atoll was / is the first commercial farm in Micronesia.

Originally the Land Grant Program did supply the Nukuoro farm with spat, technical information / assistance and a seeder.

For reasons best known to themselves the "community" decided that they could go it alone and sought assistance from other sources. Let's just leave it at that.

In my opinion when taken together with the other issues, it didn't exactly help things along.

Far be it for me to be smug and I'm not trying to be but the whole situation is something that happens all too often.

 

[SteveM]

Your post caused me to seek info and images on Nokuoro, and I was taken with the perfection of the atoll, almost completely closed. Don't see a landing strip anywhere?how does one get there?

 

[nlerner]

how does one get there?

Swimming?

 

[Ragnorak]

You could swim if you wanted to.

All access is by boat from Pohnpei. Since it's the closest major population centre. If memory serves it's a day and a half to two days via the cargo boat.

But there in lies another problem. Apparently one of the two cargo boats, the Micro Glory, spends more time tied alongside the wharf in Kolonia than it does running cargo.

I've seen the old rust bucket and it doesn't look pretty. There's no money that can be found to replace it's aging and often broken main engine.

Toshiuki Rudolph who was the chief magistrate at the time the farm was starting out would use one of the navy's patrol boats to deliever freight on their partol runs.

 

[pearlescence]

These are stunning pearls. What sizes are the ones in the group photo and to where have they been sold? Are there any available, baroques etc? Prices?
cheers

 

[SteveM]

Those pictures will do nothing to diminish interest in this thread! Are they from Nukuoro?

 

[Ragnorak]

All of the pearls in the photos are from the Land Grant Program.

The top left hand photo I have no details on.

The top right hand photo is another view of some of the jewllery from the first post in this thread.

The bottom left hand photo is of pearls that have been left to grow out over 24 rather than 18 months.

I don't have any information on sizes.

I have to emphasise that these pearls are the cream of the crop. They haven't been put up for sale as far as I know since they are part of the research program and there have been reservations about putting them up for sale.

 

[pearlescence]

Selling them would be a good way to fund the research! The 24 months is good news, that they are being left in so long with presumably stonking nacre. If they are all first grafts from same size nacre there appears to be a huge variation in size.
They are beautiful pearls

 

[Ragnorak]

Selling them would be a good way to fund the research!

The concern is that there have been quite a few experiments conducted by the program and they don't necessarily want those pearls to end up on the market.

For example they have experimented with different types and grades of nuclei. A concern that was raised with me was what if a pearl cracks while it's being drilled because of a flaw in the nucleus?

The 24 months is good news, that they are being left in so long with presumably stonking nacre.

Though 24 months may make the whole venture less economically viable. What has to be considered at the moment (with black pearl prices being what they are) is that what we'd call good quality saleable pearls are in the minority.

If they are all first grafts from same size nacre there appears to be a huge variation in size.

That's the black lip pearl oyster for you. It's surprising the different sized nuclei you can jam into the things.

They are beautiful pearls

I'm glad you think so. Sounds like there could be some potential here.

 

[pearlescence]

Ummm, then don't sell them until they are drilled...? I would buy in a second if the price was right

 

[Sueki]

Stunning pearls, Ragnorak.
Like Wendy, I'd buy them like a shot....
Thanks for the photos.

 

[Ragnorak]

Ummm, then don't sell them until they are drilled...?

That would mean they'd have to pay for them to be processed.

With that said I do believe that the program would want to keep their pearls so that they have a reference to their experiments.

 

[Nerida]

Well, Ragnorak, I think you can see that if they manage to reproduce pearls of this type and quality, there is an enthusiastic market just waiting to snap them up..

 

[Ragnorak]

The only problem being whether or not the whole crop can be sold as one lot. While there has been proof of concept, there's still issues with the over all quailty of the harvests.

 

[GemGeek]

Thanks for the atoll and pearl photos. It's true, this thread just keeps on building in interest!

 

[pearlescence]

Why sell the crop as one lot. Probably more money to be made from selling small well chosen parcels - though more effort too.
How many pearls are there?
I think some of us would be interested in baroques if the surface is good.
And while I understand that the researchers would want to keep some,if there is duplication then some could be sold to finance future research.
I cannot see that drilling would add significantly to the cost, it gets added to the price and in any event obviates the need for concerns about cracking etc - which they will have to test by drilling the pearls as research to find out about cracking anyway...
If they are worried about drilling but haven't drilled any that is a bit like the earnest group of archaeologists I once came across who had spent months speculating if something they had found was a flute/recorder stone age instrument. ..Ummm blow into it!

 

[Ragnorak]

Why sell the crop as one lot. Probably more money to be made from selling small well chosen parcels - though more effort too.

For the most part it helps to sell everything in one hit. You're not stuck having to sell, shall we say, the lower end of the crop. Besides at this end we're wholesalers and not really up for retail.

Ideally once the crop's sold there's money to be put back into the farm.

But in this case the program is geared more towards research. Specifically proof of concept that spat spawned, raised and seeded in Micronesia can produce marketable product.

The marketing / retail side of things, that's for others to deal with.

How many pearls are there?

Not many. Probably a couple of thousand. But the good stuff you seen in the photos are in the minority.

I think some of us would be interested in baroques if the surface is good.

The biggest problem is that far too many come out with rings.

And while I understand that the researchers would want to keep some,if there is duplication then some could be sold to finance future research.

The program is government funded.

I cannot see that drilling would add significantly to the cost,

They won't get processed in Micronesia so... Probably in Australia or Japan if anywhere. Maybe even the States.

The concern over cracking of the nuclei was one example presented to me. But as far as I know, the program will not put their pearls on the market.

Things may change in the future. Not that I'm implying it will.

 

[SteveM]

You could swim if you wanted to.

All access is by boat from Pohnpei. Since it's the closest major population centre. If memory serves it's a day and a half to two days via the cargo boat.

But there in lies another problem. Apparently one of the two cargo boats, the Micro Glory, spends more time tied alongside the wharf in Kolonia than it does running cargo.

I've seen the old rust bucket and it doesn't look pretty. There's no money that can be found to replace it's aging and often broken main engine.

We could take up a collection for renovation of 'old rust bucket'?to include a state room for the exclusive use of Pearl-Guide members?in exchange for pearls (drilled or undrilled)?

?but seriously, it seems there are some real possibilities in Micronesia just an investor or two away from fruition. Ragnorak, you give the impression of being on the scene, and your enthusiasm is outshining all attempts at skepticism.

 

[Nerida]

?but seriously, it seems there are some real possibilities in Micronesia just an investor or two away from fruition. Ragnorak, you give the impression of being on the scene, and your enthusiasm is outshining all attempts at skepticism.

This has become a very interesting thread. Ragnorak, can you tell us a little about your involvement - given that you are located in Qld you certainly seem to have your eye on the ball, so to speak. I am also interested in if/where/how possible investors are being sought?