Visiting Indonesia and would like to get pearls!

[Marinka-Lancaster]

Hello to everyone!
I will be in Indonesia in South Sulawesi, Ambon, Banda islands and would like to get some pearls.
Do they exist there? What colours and size can be? How much?
I have only one string of pearls, from Birma, I got it on a beach for 10$. Peachy color and like 10-12mm.
I do not want something expensive, just for a memory, but not a junk. Can you recommend where to get pearls in Indonesia?
Thank you!

 

[Pareltje]

You can get a strand of cheap freshwater pearls on Lombok island and the area of Flores - my friend got hers from there. Probably they are imported from China. I think you can get south sea pearls in the Moluccas, they are expensive though.

 

[Marinka-Lancaster]

Pareltje, thank you for your answer!
How much does SSP cost? How can I see that they are not FWP?

 

[Pareltje]

Pareltje, thank you for your answer!
How much does SSP cost? How can I see that they are not FWP?

Marinka-Lancaster, the SSP (Indonesia produces white SSP and gold SSP) can cost quite a lot of money or quite cheap - price is relative - depending on the quality. Here in Pearl Guide you can talk to many pearl experts and educate yourself on many interesting facts and infos about pearls.
Generally speaking, if you are in Indonesia and you find a strand of white small pearls which cost a few dollars they usually are FWPs. Pink, peach, black, and lavender pearls are FWP for sure. For white or gold SSP you may have to go to a pearl shop, you won't find them sold by vendors on a beach or on the sides of a road. SSP tend to be big, 8-14mm in size. FWP can be big too but they look different. That's why it's imperative you check the south sea pearl section in this forum to make sure you don't get taken.
If you visit Lombok, there is a shop specialized in SSP on the road to Senggigi beach. If you go to the boutique of Atlas Pearls and Perfume in Bali you can spend a fortune on white SSPs.
I hope this helps

 

[indonesian]

Maybe you are very familiar with Lombok and Banda in Indonesia, actually there is one island called Aru Island at the southeast end of Mollucas which is very much a pearl and sold per kilogram by the fishermen, the price varies according to the quality from the worst like a junk IDR 20 million/kg, IDR 25 million/kg up to above 60, 80 and above IDR 100 million/kg. We still looking how to develop pearl industry in Aru Island, Mollucas.

if you are interested, you can contact me by email to obby.purba@gmail.com

 

[indonesian]

I just want to tell in the Aru Islands, Moluccas is happening scallop fishing season for food at the end of this year, and most likely also an increase in the catch of natural pearl. The fishing season will end early next year when the wind from the west started to hit in the sea around the Moluccas so that fishermen are forced not to conduct their activities. I also attach a picture of the catch natural pearls side, there are still scars the placenta.

 

[indahvoo]

I sent you an email. I am interested.

 

[asurazzy]

Ive been to Ambon n Banda Isles n stay there for 2 months. There are no pearls there that I know of. I got my pearls from Lombok Island. There are alot of pearls vendor in an area or a village called Sekarbela. U can find all sort there. Ssp gold n white which are sold by the gr. Example an ss pearl of 12 mm with sold 50$ pergram n the weight is 3 gr means you have to pay for 150$ per pearl. Hint the baroque ss pearls there are soooo cheap its almost like throw away pearls. The freshwater cost nothing! Then they have fake pearls like shell pearls. They have different settings or mounts of pendants, earrings, bracelets, rings etc made of gold, silver, paladium?? Or anything you want.

Cees talks about pearl farm in Sulawesi n other Islands. Humm hope he will comment on this thread.

 

[Cees]

Asurazy, you want me to comment?

On Aru there is a pearl farm from an Indonesian family, not sure but it might be Concord pearls. These islands lie on the Australian plat, there is a big difference between the Banda and Kei islands and Aru. The sea between the island is very deep and on Aru you even can find kangaroos and other animals.

There are pearl farms also near the Kei islands and other Moluccan islands.

In Sulawesi there is a pearl farm near Manado in the North and Kendari in the east. Near Manado on Pulau Talisei, the farm is managed by Orient Pearl Ltd and the Kendari farm is managed by the Cogent company. Both very well established and producing top quality South Sea pearls. Deep Golden pearls come from both these farms aswell white pearls.

 

[asurazzy]

Asurazy, you want me to comment?

On Aru there is a pearl farm from an Indonesian family, not sure but it might be Concord pearls. These islands lie on the Australian plat, there is a big difference between the Banda and Kei islands and Aru. The sea between the island is very deep and on Aru you even can find kangaroos and other animals.

There are pearl farms also near the Kei islands and other Moluccan islands.

In Sulawesi there is a pearl farm near Manado in the North and Kendari in the east. Near Manado on Pulau Talisei, the farm is managed by Orient Pearl Ltd and the Kendari farm is managed by the Cogent company. Both very well established and producing top quality South Sea pearls. Deep Golden pearls come from both these farms aswell white pearls.

These companies doesnt do direct sales to customers right? Like they have no show room where regular people or tourists can go there and buy pearl jewelleries or loose pearls?

 

[Cees]

Asurazzy, no, all the pearls go to auctions. Cogent auctions also Paspaley pearls and their own golden pearls in Hong Kong. Orient Pearl autions in Tokyo mostly.