Shopping FWP i Beijing - pricing?

[tobey]

Hello!

This is my first post here in this excellent forum. I have searched the threads for information regarding buying freshwater pearls in Beijing at the Ling Ling store at the pearlmarket and I found some hints of what to pay in 2005. I now wonder whether these hints are still true 2007? I am now in Beijing on holiday and I plan to do some pearl-shopping.

I plan to buy a few 16" 7-8 mm white chinese freswater pearl necklaces of the highest quality that Ling Ling has in stock, ie for my eye round pearls with good lustre and virtually no bumps och scratches. What should I pay for this one? I am interested in the highest quality available.

I am also interested in buying some 16" 8-9 mm neclaces of the same highest quality. What would be a fair price for those?

How much should I pay for a 14K gold clasp?

Best regards,
Tobias Andersson

 

[jshepherd]

That really depends on what Ling Ling has in stock! I am sure she has quite a range of necklace grade, and if you are able to select the best from her stock, $100 would be a fair price for the 7-8mm, and you may be able to get it down a little as well. Stringing should be thrown in when the strand is purchased, and the clasp can run anywhere from $4 up to $20 depending on the weight.

 

[tobey]

Mr Shepherd, thankyou for your very fast reply!

However, new in the business I think I need a little clarification. Is it 100 USD before or after bargaining? I read in a previous thread that about 1/3 of the initial price is a good goal to bargain for, does that mean that the initial price for a 16" 7-8 mm of the highest quality could be as high as 300 USD? What can I expect to pay for a 16" 8-9 mm FWP necklace of the highest quality?

Best regards,
Tobias Andersson

 

[jshepherd]

That would be a fair price for top necklace grade from Ling Ling. She will treat you well if you deal directly with her (and mention this Site). But for the most part, 30% is a good number to shoot for with dealers on the floor. For 8-9mm there is a bit of a range, but grade for grade, double would not be too far off.
To be exact, however, is impossible without knowing what she has in inventory and how eager she is to sell. Also, there will be a big difference in price if the necklace is 6.7-7.7mm, or 7.5mm or 7.7-8mm, etc. There are just so many factors...
I should mention, however, that I have not been to that market in years. Others here have likely been there more recently.

 

[tobey]

I was shown one 16" necklace in the ling-ling store with to my eye round white pearls without noticeble humps or marks and good lustre, pearls ranging between 6.5-7.5 mm in diameter with the 6,5 mm pearls at the clasp and gradually increasing in size to 7,5 mm in the mid-section of the necklace. Price of this one was 800 RMB before bargaining. I tried to ask for AAA or AA+ pearls but they didn't seem to recognize this grading and my impression was that the 800 RMB necklace was their highest quality. So, reasonable price for this one should be like 250 RMB = 35 USD?

 

[jshepherd]

Was that the price offered to you by Li Ling Lin herself? Or was it one of the floor sellers? If one of the floor sellers, you have a lot of room to bargain. If Ling Lin, not as much, but I would still suggest negotiating. For that price the necklace needs to be (literally) perfect.

 

[tobey]

Today I bought some 16" necklaces at Ling Ling from one of the floorsellers. The priciest I got for 430 RMB, starting price 1200 RMB. This one was between 6.7-7.5 mm and had very good lustre, almost clean surface and was round to the eye. I also bought 12 more necklaces of varying quality spending a total of 400 USD, the 5 cheapest I bought for 11 USD a piece and they were slighly buttonshaped. I feel quite happy about this although I certainly could have had it cheaper if I had more knowledge. Tomorrow I will maybe buy some more. They tried charging 200 rmb for a 7 mm very light 14k white gold clasp in the form of a pearl. Simce I dont know the right price for this I ended up choosing silver sterling clasps at no extra cost.

What pearl is considered the most valuable one given the same diameter: one with round form, little humps and ok lustre or one slightly buttonshaped with some more bumps but noticeably more lustre?

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Tobey

Congratulations on your buys.

I don't know the objective answer to your question, but I personally prefer luster, luster, luster. I also really like button shapes and notice they often have better luster than the round ones at higher prices do, because so many people prefer round.

 

[jshepherd]

Starting price 1200, walking away at 430?! It sounds like you did a fine job of negotiating, getting right down there to the 30% range! I bet that took an hour or so!
It sounds like you have done/are doing well. But... if you are going back to the market... go to a different seller if you intend to buy more. Take what you have learned to another booth. If you have done that well so far, they certainly know where to start on future pricing!

 

[pearlfair.com]

he did a good job

he did a good job

i came from zhuji,china--a pearl's hometown--and start my busyness in boston last month. i think the price is resonable for you guy, this price is close to that i sell in usa with no discount.

 

[Carol]

Buying a pearl enhancer

Buying a pearl enhancer

Greetings:

This is also my first post to this forum, although I have been following and reading it for several months now.
I will be visiting both Beijing and Shanghi this coming summer and I would like to purchase a pearl enhancer to go with a set of pearls that I already have.
The pearl necklace is 16" long, 7-8mm white, freshwater pearls with a 14K gold clasp with diamond chips in the clasp. It was purchased somewhere in Beijing. From what I have read on this forum, I doubt that the strand cost much more than 75 - 100 US. I did have them appraised here in Canada and the appraised value for insurance purposes was 1200.00 CDN.
I would like the enhancer to be 14K gold, with some diamonds and one large, central pearl.
So my questions:
What size and type of pearl should I look for and buy?
How much should I pay?
Does Ling Ling carry such items?
Any other advice people could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time.

Carol