Pearl Industry News

If you've always been in love with pearls but not so much in love with the price tag on a typical strand of perfect pink-and-cream akoyas, you're in luck. The pearl has been through a major transition over the past decade; Chinese producers have begun culturing and marketing a whole new segment of freshwater pearls that are beautiful, colorful and best of all, affordable.

Freshwaters, as their name suggests, are grown in freshwater lakes as opposed to saltwater, where traditional akoyas are cultured, mainly in Japanese waters. This change in pearl farming has meant profound differences in the variety of pearls available on the market. Chinese freshwaters offer greater choice, higher quality and lower prices.

Once considered a white gem, like diamonds, the cultured pearl is now being positioned by many dealers as a colored stone, with almost as many hues as sapphire or tourmaline. Mauve, brown or orange pearls from China now seem more common than the classic white akoya pearls from Japan. The vast majority - probably 95% - of pearls produced today come from the fresh waters of China, most of which are natural white, peach and lilac. Many farmers expand the range of color by dyeing freshwater pearls, but if they are white, mauve or peach, the color is usually natural. Plenty of white pearls now come from China, too, and they're grown in freshwater lakes, not saltwater bays, using mussels rather than oysters, where traditional akoya pearls come from.

The emergence of China as the world's leading pearl producer has brought unprecedented pearl diversity. Ask your jewelry retailer about Chinese freshwater pearls the next time you are in the market for that string of "white lovelies".

Provided by the resident Gemologist; artial reprint from Firstnews England.

Brassy & Sassy

Glassy peachy pearls hidden among graduated natural red Coral squares. Hand crafted in non-tarnish brass wire toggle and dangle square earrings.

Traditional Properties of Coral: Diplomacy, quieting emotions, visualization.

Uniquely handcrafted natural gemstone jewelry.

Pearls

Pearl and specifically Mother of Pearl are beautiful stones with their illuminating iridescent colors; they go with just about anything and never seem to go out of style. You can mix them up with just about any other gems, like Sapphire, Diamonds or Rubies; semi-precious stones like Turquoise, Coral, and Onyx just to name a few.

This month’s issue of Color Stones magazine is dedicated entirely to Pearls and if the writer’s reviews are correct, there has been no slow in the purchasing of pearls and pearl jewelry. The majority of pearls come from China; though they also are sought in Japan, South Seas and off the shores of the United States and Mexico. They range from the highly sought Tahitian pearl that come in shades of black, purple, green, blue and bronze. Akoya pearls are saltwater pearls usually grown on farms in Japan and are traditionally white or cream in color with some ranging in the pink tints; they are known for their perfectly round, smooth surfaces and mirror-like luster.

According to the main article, freshwater pearls account for over 90% of the world’s pearl production coming out of China. These pearls are fairly inexpensive and found in a wide selection of color (often dyed reds, green and blue); some ranging from white, pink, lavender or peach in any size or shape.



These popular jewelry designs don’t last long on the market, this 3-strand chocolate freshwater pearls and mother-of-pearl pendant was listed on our website less than 24 hours before being snatched up by a lady for Easter!

Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility.

Visit Timeless Designs for more pearl jewelry designs mixed along or mixed with semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals and metal beads.

Wild Horse Magnesite, Ivoryite, Agates & Turquoise

Visit Timeless Designs for these and many other gemstone favorites.

Wild Horse Magnesite, Ivoryite and crystals


Banded Agates in shades of pink, cream and grey

Heart of Turquoise & Pearls Set

Spring & Summer Part 2

Hot, classy and elegant are all wrapped into these new designs.

All in Copper - Apple Sponge Coral Freshwater Cultured Pearls Swarovski Crystals

All in Brass/Gold - Jade Freshwater Cultured Pearls Amazonite

All in Copper – Freshwater Cultured Pearls Mookanite

Visit Timeless Designs for these and other gemstone jewelry.

Dichroic Pendant Pearls Quartz Crystals

Sail into spring with this lovely little number; wear it as a casual accent topping of that adventure or to dress up that spring attire for a day or evening on the town.

Streaming in shades of yellow and brassy gold; set off by a focal pendant of dichroic glass in dramatic shades of gold, greens and blues; pulling the colors of the Caribbean waters in Swarovski crystals of blue, cantaloupe (which changes colors with the refraction of light) and light yellow jonquil. Nestled between teardrops of freshwater cultured pearls in light and dark yellowish gold, butterscotch Quartz nugget gemstones and handcrafted links and toggle in non-tarnish brass wire. Top it all off with a set of dangle hoop earrings in matching pearls and crystals.

Another Timeless Designs uniquely handcrafted jewelry piece!

Tucson in Review

A week in Tucson, the weather was great at about 80 degrees everyday; vendors were wonderful and I was able to find many new and unusual stones for new designs this year! Whew, it was a wild and long week, hand picking thru all the merchandize, looking for that perfect strand that reflected the personalities of many of my great clients!

The week started out by visiting across the freeway from the Tucson Convention Center to the Street Vendors….miles and miles of vendors selling wears; anything from raw materials strait from the mines, polished undrilled stones to strands of beads; for as far as the eyes could see! The afternoon was spent at JOGS a favorite buying ground for many wholesale purchases. They play host to many international dealers from as far away as Poland for Amber to China for Pearls and many great U.S. dealers from AZ, NM, TX, CA, and NY. Here you could find many types of stones, finished jewelry pieces and geodes of many shapes and sizes.


The next several days included highlights to GL&W shows Gem Mall and Holidome, JGX (a miniture AGTA show), and back to JOGs and the Street Vendors.

Many great finds from deep red coral, apple red sponge coral, turquoise, ivoryite, pipestone, white magnesite (howlite), lapis, crystals, freshwater cultured pearls, agates, jaspers, pendants, copper, sterling silver and gold vermeil findings and on the very last day I was able to come across some Wild Horse Magnesite – WOW, what a find direct from mine!!



I’m very excited to begin designing with the unusual cuts, colors and stones that I found in Tucson! In the coming weeks I’ll be premiering the designs here on the blog and also on our website. For now, I’ll be busy over the next few days getting everything inventoried and then begin working in the studio!


In the meantime, over the next few weeks we will continue to mark down and deeply discount existing designs to make room for our new ones! Get in on some great deals while you can, before the original pieces and Sale are gone gone gone!

Turquoise Agate & Pearls

A brand new design for 2009 and in to two of the most requested colors/gemstones of Turquoise and navy blue. A natural gemstone combination of China Turquoise with a nice brown/rust matrix grain, navy Madagascar Agate that is slightly marbled in gray and cultured freshwater Pearls shaped in natural teardrops; all accented by glass beige lined seed beads and sterling silver open spacers.





This piece is bold and classy for the Spring/Summer 2009 collection and would look just great with any business suite or a pair of jeans, white t-shirt and jacket. Whatever the occasion, this little number will add a touch of spice to your outfit!


Healing and Traditional Properties
Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness, strength, inspiration, awakening
Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility.
Turquoise: Spiritual attunement, cleansing, healing, protection, valor, soothing, peace of mind, guidance through the unknown, romantic spontaneity.

It is available for purchase along with many other designs on our website. Bookmark and watch our website, this is the first of many more designs to come for our Spring/Summer 2009 collection!