Pearls by the Bay 2024

I am incredibly Happy to announce that this year's Pearls by the Bay event is officially set to happen on May 18th! Save the Date!

The information right from Kojima's website:

PEARLS BY THE BAY * SATURDAY MAY 18th 2024 *
TICKETS WILL GO ON SALE IN MARCH 2024! ​

• Each year in May, we gather at the Casa Madrona Hotel in Sausalito, California.
• We start at 10am with a light breakfast and coffee/ tea service prepared for the group.
• Next we hear from a hand chosen group of pearl farmers, historians and pearl professionals from around the world. This lecture series is a fantastic way to not just learn about different varieties of pearls, but to meet the people who study and cultivate these gems. There is a heavy focus on ecology and the marine harmony which is VITAL to the health and existence of both farming and natural pearl existence.
• We have a gorgeous buffet lunch catered by Poggio's Restaurant, and a cocktail reception at sunset.
• Last but not least: We play PEARL BINGO for PRIZES, and trust me you will WANT TO PLAY WITH US. Every year, this is by far the funniest part of the day!
• There is plenty of time for show and tell, and catching up with your pearl friends.
• This is the only seminar of its kind .. dedicated solely to pearls.. and it is our honor to host this event.

 

I was so happy to be able to watch both sessions. Thank you for that!

 

Love the photos! Looks like a wonderful time was had by all.

 

So grateful that I could watch the livestreams! Thank you for the awesome education! I hope much fun was had by all.

 

our friend Edgar, the "Baja Pearl Hunter"

Almudena and I had the pleasure of meeting Edgar and his sister Liz and to speak at length. Edgar was carefully louping the flame on our Kima (clam) pieces before introducing himself. He started bringing out pouches of pearls from every pocket, bringing to mind a ring of great sentimental value in need of pearl replacement.

This is a rather long post due to a necessary back story.

This ring was our FIRST pearl purchase, in September 2006. We slept on it before returning to the store in Avarua (Cook Islands) the next day to acquire it as a memento of two wonderful weeks in paradise. 4.5mm golden Poe Pipi pearl with two Cook islands keshi, each 1.5mm.

About a year later in Old Madrid we watched in horror as the Pipi rolled down the street and into a drain (it didn't help that the pearl was perfectly round!). Flip the calendar to Fall 2008 and a return trip to Rarotonga, where we saw a loose pearl that we thought would be the perfect replacement. We hadn't brought the ring so it was pure guesswork. It did fit, and the replacement pearl was a deeper gold and marginally larger than the original.

Flip the calendar again, and one of the keshi goes missing. It's been a few years now. So when Edgar brings out his pouch of AAA Pteria Sterna rounds, we select two under-2mm matching deep blue-green pearls with this ring in mind. The jeweler is going to have some work to do reinforcing those meager prongs and making things fit, but the final result should be a 100% natural, elegantly simple ring.

 

Steve, the pearls need a cup or flat surface to increase glue surface area. Just sitting on the bare peg with space underneath allows them to move and eventually the glue adhesion will fail, even if the solder joint of the peg doesn't due to stress/metal fatigue.

 

Wendy, thanks so much. We are now better prepared for our trip to the jeweler.

 

p45

 

p45

Without delay!!!

 

This ring was our FIRST pearl purchase, in September 2006. We slept on it before returning to the store in Avarua (Cook Islands) the next day to acquire it as a memento of two wonderful weeks in paradise. 4.5mm golden Poe Pipi pearl with two Cook islands keshi, each 1.5mm.

Just picked up the finished ring, photo on a CLOUDY Seattle morning. We're very pleased with this serendipitous result of meeting Edgar at PBTB and Wendy's expert guidance here prior to meeting with the jeweler. Updating measurements, that replacement for the original lost Poe Pipi is actually 6.2mm, a giant among its species (prices can double from 5.9 to 6.0), and the two Pteria Sterna naturals are 4.0mm. About $4000 worth of pearls on a $75 ring. But it's all about the pearls, and now they're secure!

 

Beautiful!!! Fit for a queen!