Tahitian pearl shopping in Hawaii

[Hanaleimom]

pearl

pearl

Josh,

The pearl was about 13mm. Drill hole was large to slide into leather cord. I think it's the perception created by the picture and the camera angle. I did not measure the nacre thickness; but remembered that it was somewhere around 1mm radius approximately just by looking after it was exploded. I tried calculating the actual nacre thickness (2nd picture seems to be a better representation of the pearl straight on) by using the ratio method: screen's nacre to the screen's whole diameter of the pearl then apply to the 13mm to solve for unknow nacre thickness. It turned out to be about .8mm or so. I think it is a close approximation by this calculation.

I also saw this video from PDT's website: http://www.perlesdetahiti.net/site/en/1663.html
(Les aventuriers de la perle noire). Or go to Main site>Showroom>Video. It's in French. The whole video is about 1 hour long, lots of interview with Robert Wan. Too bad there is no forward button. Towards the end of the video, I'd say 45 minutes, there are some scenes at the research laboratories. My French is pretty rusty now, so I couldn't understand most of it. They had footage of a few farms' pearls cut in half, one was Garfon or something like that. I saw mostly white nuclei. Who knows, it could be Miss. mussels and the brown striations could be very faint and I did not see it. I wrote to PDT asking about that footage; and whether they can tell me what kind of nucleus it is. That was a week ago. With the recent shake up, I don't know if or when I will get an answer.

 

[Mikeyy]

Josh,

The pearl was about 13mm. Drill hole was large to slide into leather cord. I think it's the perception created by the picture and the camera angle. I did not measure the nacre thickness; but remembered that it was somewhere around 1mm radius approximately just by looking after it was exploded. I tried calculating the actual nacre thickness (2nd picture seems to be a better representation of the pearl straight on) by using the ratio method: screen's nacre to the screen's whole diameter of the pearl then apply to the 13mm to solve for unknow nacre thickness. It turned out to be about .8mm or so. I think it is a close approximation by this calculation.

I also saw this video from PDT's website: http://www.perlesdetahiti.net/site/en/1663.html
(Les aventuriers de la perle noire). Or go to Main site>Showroom>Video. It's in French. The whole video is about 1 hour long, lots of interview with Robert Wan. Too bad there is no forward button. Towards the end of the video, I'd say 45 minutes, there are some scenes at the research laboratories. My French is pretty rusty now, so I couldn't understand most of it. They had footage of a few farms' pearls cut in half, one was Garfon or something like that. I saw mostly white nuclei. Who knows, it could be Miss. mussels and the brown striations could be very faint and I did not see it. I wrote to PDT asking about that footage; and whether they can tell me what kind of nucleus it is. That was a week ago. With the recent shake up, I don't know if or when I will get an answer.

I don't speak french so 45 minutes is a while. But I did see the nuclei that they appear to be implanting early in the film. Its yellow because it is a "Biocoated" nuclei. This coating of antibiotics is used in Tahitian farms to ward off infections and mortality. Its impossible to tell after this process which are which. You really have to see the naked bead.

 

[Josh]

Hi Cathy,
Funny what a huge marketing job has been done for R. Wan by our pearl promotion board that is paid for by taxes on everyone's pearls. Anyway, that's not what we were talking about it is it?
If I were king, I would allow for less severe thickness controls on pearls over 11mm. As oysters get older the growth slows down and pearls, like the one that split, can often have borderline nacre on the nucleus. Imagine being a farmer and having your 15mm 'A' grade round that has .7mm on the nucleus get ground up into powder at export controls.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Nuclei

Nuclei

Hi everyone,

I just received an answer from PDT from my inquiry (see post #41).

I am cutting and pasting it here:

----- Original Message -----
From: lo cedrik <mailto:cedrik.lo@perli.gov.pf>
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: TALFER anne-sandrine <mailto:anne-sandrine.talfer@perli.gov.pf> ; Leilani <mailto:gie@perlesdetahiti.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 10:15 AM
Subject: your email 27 july

Dear Mr xxxxxx,

As you said, most of nucleus used in Tahitian pearl farms are from Mississippi fresh water mussel shell. But, all nucleus from Mississippi mussel have not the light brown striation on white. That depends of the quality of the nucleus, top quality nucleus are white, low quality nucleus have more brown striation. As we don't need white nucleus for our pearl compare to akoya pearl for exemple, most of the nucleus you will find here will have brown striation.
There is other nucleus from fresh water mussel from China that looks like Mississippi mussels too.

Our research shown that good quality nucleus enhance the quality of the pearl so some pearl farmer decided to improve the quality of their nucleus. Thus, you will find more white looking nucleus today.

Therefore, other kind of nucleus exist but are not allowed to be used for tahitian culture pearl such as giant clam nucleus or bironite.

We have specified what are the nucleus caracteristic for tahitian culture pearl.

I hope that I answered to your question

sincerely yours

C?drik LO


C?drik LO (PhD)
Head of Dpt Research & development
Pearl culture agency
Tel : 689-50.00.05 / Fax 689-43.81.59



> Email Address: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Email Format: Html
> Professional: No
>
> Country: United States
>
>
>
> Hi,
> Can you please tell me more about the types of nucleus normally used in
> most Tahitian pearl farms? My general knowledge is that the Mississippi
> fresh water mussel shell is used (which has light brown striations on
> white). However, I saw opaque white nucleus in the following movie
> (about 45 minutes long) http://www.perlesdetahiti.net/site/en/1663.html <http://www.perlesdetahiti.net/site/en/1663.html> .
>
> This part is near the end of the video, where the Laboratory research
> showed various pearls cut in half. They were from Manihi, and possibly
> Gempearls, etc ( I cannot read the writing well) etc. The pearls I saw
> have dark nacre and the nucleus are opaque white (ceramic-looking). What
> kind of mother of pearl is used to make that white nucleus?
>
> Thank you,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


EDITED: Just a note here, I am not justifying TPM's type of nucleus in the Hawaii picture. I just want to share the information I received regarding the PDT video. Thanks.

 

[pattye]

Cathy,

Thanks very much for following up and posting this info.

 

[waimeamomi]

Let's talk story -

Yesterday I went down to Kona to get some pearls drilled (I need a drill). Interesting - one store did them for free as a service, and one wanted to charge $25. per pearl (I really need a drill). I would up looking at pearls in many different places and was blown away by 2 things - 1)how many shops there were that actually had good quality Tahitians, South Seas and FW in different shapes and sizes - lots of baroques and Keishis and even some flameballs, and 2)how much they were charging for them. I saw strands of 9 mm Tahitians that were comparable to the ones I got from Josh selling in the 5 figure market. I saw Tahitian Keishi necklaces for $5000 plus, a knotted strand of reborn freshwaters, very nice, I have a strand similar to it, $2500. Single South Seas drop - 11mm 600. I wish I'd written prices down, it was hard to keep from laughing. One store had loose, unfinished strands that they must have gotten at gem show or in China I'm guessing.
I was trying to get my large South Seas drilled, but I don't know what to do with it when I do. It was clear that the 2 stores I took it too, both that make their pieces on site, didn't know where to start with it and since I'm not sure either, it didn't happen.
I finally landed at the place that said they would drill gratis. It was a little stand on the street with the pick a pearl thing going, but it turned out it was part of the fine jewelry store right next to it and I was drilling pearls from the batch of "roaming Tahitians" I got from my friend, so I thought I'd give a couple a whirl. I wound up being there for well over an hour, had several pearls drilled and found they stocked some really nice bails with local themes. I looked and looked, they had such a great selection. The bails are made on Oahu, and I will post some later (sorry to tease now), but I thought they made the pearls look stunning, and I'm hoping others will too. After my purchase, I got a complimentary salt water oyster pick, which she opened and I got an OK nice little creamy shiny pearl (ok I'll post that too), my first salt water, non-SS/Tah. The girl helping me was about 19 years old, but obviously a pearl lover. She was enthusiastic about everything, but also seemed to really know what she was talking about. She fell in love with a circled Tahitian that I had her drill, and asked me all about it. It had pretty colors and was a good shape, but was rather blemished, and not the nicest I have by a long shot. When her co-worker arrived she showed her the pearls she had set, and said "look at her pearls, they're so much nicer than ours!" (luckily her manager didn't hear her say that). She was very proud of the part she had played in it all. She had been so patient an helpful, even though I didn't commit to buying for about an hour, she was careful and really interested in getting the drill hole in the right place for each pearl, and so in the end, I gave her the circled pearl. She was pretty stunned and very grateful, and as I walked down the street, I heard her shrieking in excitement and happiness with her friend. Now I know why Santa Claus loves his job.

 

[Hanaleimom]

p

p

Sheryl,
The prices at Macy's on Puna side is high already. I can imagine the west side is much higher.

Where in Kona? Did you mean to say Kailua-Kona or Kohala? I guess the Kings Shops near the Hilton Waikoloa Village would be extremely expensive and prices are higher than Kailua-Kona. It's like Luxury Row in Waikiki.

Hanalei town is so small but it gets lots of tourists. I think their prices are very high too. Too bad I haven't been to the shops in Papeete (Tahia Collins, etc.) or others in FP. I hear it's much more expensive than the prices that we pay here from PG vendors.

 

[Hanaleimom]

bail

bail

Sheryl,
I would like to see pictures of the bails. Do you know from which store on Oahu it came ? I like plumeria, slippah and honu bails. It'd be nice to incorporate that into a Tahitian or FW pearl.

 

[laurenb]

She had been so patient an helpful, even though I didn't commit to buying for about an hour, she was careful and really interested in getting the drill hole in the right place for each pearl, and so in the end, I gave her the circled pearl.

Ahhh! This made me so happy. That's one of the things about loving pearls in all their natural variation... she'd have probably found others in her life that she loved too, but she'd never have had that *specific* one she fell for if she'd been helping a person with less heart. Massive good karma for you, too!

 

[jerin]

Sheryl,

thanks for that lovely story. It really warms the heart if one pearl lover is in the position to make another one so happy as You did with that circled Tahitian. Merry Christmas.

 

[Hanaleimom]

pearl shopping

pearl shopping

I've been to Neiman's jewelry counter with my t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, without Vulgari bracelet. I was looking at pearls that cost multiple times the value of my car. The salesman did not even bat an eye at me. Most of us here have handled so much pearls that we can approximate pearl sizes by looking at them. Not so for most sales people here. I've seen strands and wanted to check sizes (to be sure I am correct in my approximation). They had to look up the computer for the size description when the tag contained no such info. When the computer did not have that information, then they took out the caliper.

I am Asian. When I was in Hawaii, some local residents have mistaken me to be island resident also. I've been to some Hawaiian jewelry shop after coming back from the beach with T-shirt and shorts. No one has ever ignored me (eventhough I don't look like tourists to some of them). They've always been helpful and very knowledgeable. Too bad the prices are unbelievable. I've asked for prices of various pieces at a shop in Poipu, south side of the island of Kauai. The lady told me some huge amount. I was speechless. Then she said "Make an offer!" . LOL.

In all, I think there are better selections, better sales attitude and knowledge on the islands compared to the mainland B&M stores. I think it also has to do the "Aloha" spirit of the island residents. They are friendly and helpful no matter what kind of clothes you wear. And that's where my heart belongs.

Sheryl, after I read your story, I was smiling and felt happy. Aloha to you. Have a great weekend, everyone. Thanks for letting me share.

 

[pattye]

Sheryl,

Thanks much for the heartwarming story, and all the interesting pearly info!

 

[waimeamomi]

I think people in Hawaii are in general, more familiar with Tahitian pearls and pearls in general. It may be the proximity and the cross-over that exists with Tahiti, and also the very strong connections with Japan and China and our cultural and family ties with those countries. Or maybe it's just because we are surrounded by water!

Jewelry is very interesting here. There was a very famous jewelry company for years in Honolulu. Mings and Mr. Moon who was a fabulous jeweler. The did do some pearls, but they also specialized in ivory (pre-ban) and jade. You can google it or go on ebay to look at some examples. There are also the Hawaiian bracelets, popularized by Queen Lili'uokalani as a tribute to Queen Victoria. Here's a link if anyone wants to read more http://www.modernsilver.com/Hawaii.htm

 

[wild onion]

tahiti pearl market

tahiti pearl market

Aloha from a lapsed poster! I live in Honolulu, and have finally made it over to Tahiti Pearl Market, inspired by Cathy's pictures. I was on a mission: I'm the owner of the original lariat-style necklace created by Ashely at Pure Pearls, and I'd been looking for quite a while for matching earrings. The nice thing about Tahiti Pearl Market is that while they do have quite a few pearls in settings, the majority of their inventory is loose, undrilled Tahitians. This is a great place to go to see the variety of Tahitian pearl colors in person (there was a stunning bright pink pearl with green overtones). The lady there was very patient (and respectful of my small budget) and pulled out several different sizes and grades. It was fun to try and match two pearls to my necklace, and while the match isn't perfect (I actually mixed grades with the earrings, to get a better shape/color match), I'm very happy with the result. Hopefully I've attached the pictures successfully.

 

[boo]

Just beautiful! It looks like you did a great job with the matching and they make a stunning set.

 

[GemGeek]

They look lovely on you! It's the perfect thing for Hawaii. Congratulations.

 

[Skypearl]

The shopping looks fabullllllllllloooous! The size is out of this amazing

 

[pattye]

Wonderful and soooooo classy! Thanks for great photos modeled by lovely you!

 

[jerin]

Hi Wild Onion and welcome to the Forum.
The set is very nice indeed, wear them with pride!

 

[wild onion]

Thank you for your comments (and compliments )! I'd noticed that I was wearing my baroque (aqua-rose) Tahitian earrings much more frequently than my round studs . I've seen mention on the forum that many people gravitate toward their not-round pearls, and that's true for me as well. Now I've got two baroque pairs to alternate between. I have less occasion to wear the lariat necklace, but I've worn the earrings several times already.