It was devoted to big saltwater pearls and since Indonesia wasn't represented it was almost entirely focused on Australian South Seas and Tahitians. The main issues were the decline in prices following the economic crisis and the cutbacks in production by the major farms. Competition from CFWs and treated lower quality South Seas and Tahitians was also noted as a cause of lower prices. Very generally speaking, everything is about 40 percent down.
Main suggestions for improvement: demands for full disclosure of treatments, certification, a new strong world trade organization. The main hope voiced was that the lower prices and the CFWs will greatly increase the market and that when the economic situation improves, these consumers will go for higher quality pearls.
One of the comments on the retail market was the level of knowledge of salespeople is very poor everyplace, but when personnel are educated, sale prices are significantly higher.
Finally, big bead-nucleated gonad-grown Chinese FWs are coming on the market. Up to 15 mm diameter and 2-3 mm nacre per radius with mostly good surface. As far as I understood, they are branded "Ming Pearls." No more info now, but there should be a report in the literature in a couple of weeks.
(reported by my Eli, because most of the time I was at the dentist)
