I am a pearl lover- not a professional. With all of your help I bought some fab pearls in Shanghai-fireballs and some dyed peacocks for gifts. Not familiar with Hyderabad pearls wondered what would be on offer there. Only know about seed and rice pearls in Indian jewelry- do they have some great pearls to consider? Has China eclipsed India in freshwater quality? Are there markets or malls specifically designated for pearls? Any input would be most appreciated. Thankyou.
Pearl shopping in Hyderabad India
- Thread starter lambskin
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pattye
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Lambskin,
This is only general information, and not necessarily current~perhaps you are already aware~
In PEARLS, Strack mentions " India is an important trade and processing centre for cultured pearls from Japan and China. 40 to 50 tons of pearls are processed each year in Hyderabad..........wages are about sixty times lower than in China..............Cultured pearls from India do not yet play a role on the world market or are sold to Japan."
Please do report on what you find there. My feeling is that you probably were wise to shop in Shanghai.
This is only general information, and not necessarily current~perhaps you are already aware~
In PEARLS, Strack mentions " India is an important trade and processing centre for cultured pearls from Japan and China. 40 to 50 tons of pearls are processed each year in Hyderabad..........wages are about sixty times lower than in China..............Cultured pearls from India do not yet play a role on the world market or are sold to Japan."
Please do report on what you find there. My feeling is that you probably were wise to shop in Shanghai.
KarinK
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Hi,
I seem to recall from other threads that in India you'll find Chinese pearls represented as either natural (as in not helped by man) or Indian pearls - or both. I don't think there is any production of Indian freshwater pearls to speak of. I also seem to recall that the pearls used of old in Indian jewelry was also imported.
I'm sure one of the experts will be along to correct me if I'm wrong
- Karin
I seem to recall from other threads that in India you'll find Chinese pearls represented as either natural (as in not helped by man) or Indian pearls - or both. I don't think there is any production of Indian freshwater pearls to speak of. I also seem to recall that the pearls used of old in Indian jewelry was also imported.
I'm sure one of the experts will be along to correct me if I'm wrong
- Karin
GemGeek
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India was a big producer of natural pearls many, many generations ago and has long been associated with royal pearl treasures. There is no significant production of pearls today, although I wouldn't be surprised, with their entrepreneurial spirit, that someone has cultuing underway.
DaveTT
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Correct me if i am wrong, but dident somebody put a article on the forum not to long ago.
About a Young guy in India that started his own Pearl farm and was like a doctor to the mussels.
Using some special anastatic when he operated on the mussels.
Think that he made a succ?s with his Pearls.
About a Young guy in India that started his own Pearl farm and was like a doctor to the mussels.
Using some special anastatic when he operated on the mussels.
Think that he made a succ?s with his Pearls.
GemGeek
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Right. There have been many projects, but they have not reached commercial levels of production such that they are available on the market. I hope they do in the future.
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Caitlin
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Even though India does not have the best coastal climate to preserve very old archeological sites with pearls, it is way too humid; India used to have the largest pearl banks in the world and was the original major source of its own pearls. A pearl is mentioned in the sacred literature from around 2-7k years ago, but appears that they were already fished out of pearls and pearl trading families who went everywhere there were known to be pearls were already going to the Persian Gulf to import them. It is India's insatiable desire for pearls that has kept the Persian Gulf pearling economy going until approximately when the oil was first discovered in the Middle East. The perfect round orb is of special spiritual significance, though any (natural, wild) pearls were/are better than none. And cultured pearls with nuclei are the least favored for spiritual purposes, but still, better than nothing- The current chronicles of Alexander the Great's era marks the beginning of the Euro/Gulf trade in pearls around 300b.c.e Other Greeks discussed the ancient trade with India around the 1st century, bce and dated it as going back as far as was known. India was still producing some pearls at that time according to another mention, but by 1,200 bce, the Phoenicians had established a trade between India and the Gulf region. I am going with Carter over Strack as she claimed the Arabs, in their dhows, went to India in AD years, which also probably happened, but dhows are not the best seafaring boats, so there is a lot of conjecture possible.
I think the above paragraph, which I cobbled together from Strack, Tavernier, and Carter (Sea of Pearls,2012) would make a good paper- I almost got lost in India's misty, mystical past with pearls. So, I assume, that the Indians were the earliest large culture area to fish out their own local waters as there has been no pearling on a commercial scale in known history off India's shores, India was already at the Persian Gulf (or the Phoenicians were) when Greece first got wind of the Gulf pearls.
But, when I visited India in 2006, I did see a lot of pearls for sale. They were way overpriced freshwaters available to the tourist crowd. (I was at a mind/body conference) Even the high end dealers in the Pavilions, charged the most I have ever seen for the least worthy pearls.... so my advice is drink up the history and flavor, but do not spend unless you go to the equivalent of the Jhavari family. Jevari, javeri, javhari, etc. Tango Javari is a member here, though he has not posted in ages. The pearl seller, the authentic one, that Donzi 32 found in Kuwait was also named Javeri- different spelling. And I have also seen variations on the name in too many parts of the world, too many times to think it is a coincidence. So, if you want to true, honest pearl buying, spiritual experience in India, find a Javeri- someone who only deals in the old pearls.
AND by all means find some of those guys who drill the eensy,weensy pearls on slices of coconut tree with bow awls. They can drill pearl so small modern technology can't touch it. As a pearl forum, we need the names and business cards of people who do work like that.
Would you try to be our reporter? And take Pix of everything pearl related you learn and see?
I think the above paragraph, which I cobbled together from Strack, Tavernier, and Carter (Sea of Pearls,2012) would make a good paper- I almost got lost in India's misty, mystical past with pearls. So, I assume, that the Indians were the earliest large culture area to fish out their own local waters as there has been no pearling on a commercial scale in known history off India's shores, India was already at the Persian Gulf (or the Phoenicians were) when Greece first got wind of the Gulf pearls.
But, when I visited India in 2006, I did see a lot of pearls for sale. They were way overpriced freshwaters available to the tourist crowd. (I was at a mind/body conference) Even the high end dealers in the Pavilions, charged the most I have ever seen for the least worthy pearls.... so my advice is drink up the history and flavor, but do not spend unless you go to the equivalent of the Jhavari family. Jevari, javeri, javhari, etc. Tango Javari is a member here, though he has not posted in ages. The pearl seller, the authentic one, that Donzi 32 found in Kuwait was also named Javeri- different spelling. And I have also seen variations on the name in too many parts of the world, too many times to think it is a coincidence. So, if you want to true, honest pearl buying, spiritual experience in India, find a Javeri- someone who only deals in the old pearls.
AND by all means find some of those guys who drill the eensy,weensy pearls on slices of coconut tree with bow awls. They can drill pearl so small modern technology can't touch it. As a pearl forum, we need the names and business cards of people who do work like that.
Would you try to be our reporter? And take Pix of everything pearl related you learn and see?
Caitlin
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And look up Tango's contact info here on the forum . I don't know where he is- but I bet he has the links you need. I just remembered, there is a Javeri in Mexico city and one in Monterrey Mexico. That was the straw that woke me up to the worldwide significance of that name and the close proximity of real, natural, wild pearls.
If you can, do the pearl thing is India as a learning experience you can't get elsewhere, even if the pearls sold on the streets are overpriced. Dig deep and find a part of India tourists don't bother with. A lot of the Javeri's speak English and they have the utmost integrity or they would not have had this business for centuries, so if you do buy a pearl, it will be expensive, but its provenance will be unimpeachable as opposed to the public vendors'.
If you can, do the pearl thing is India as a learning experience you can't get elsewhere, even if the pearls sold on the streets are overpriced. Dig deep and find a part of India tourists don't bother with. A lot of the Javeri's speak English and they have the utmost integrity or they would not have had this business for centuries, so if you do buy a pearl, it will be expensive, but its provenance will be unimpeachable as opposed to the public vendors'.
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Thank you all for your posts. I wonder if China sells nondrilled pearls to India? Which country would have the lower wages (cost) in drilling and stringing? Frankly, I did not think that China would export anything out that they could make $ on. I have read that India cuts 92% of the world's diamonds due to skill and low wages. I wonder if it could do the same with pearls? Probably the big difference is source as China manufactures pearls whereas India does not mine many diamonds. I was in awe of India's unique pearl jewelry settings during my past few visits as opposed to China's.The gold work was stunning.When I go I will let you all know my experiences but I know I will have to post more as the time for my visit nears.
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