睿智角度 PEARL REPORT | 15 | 2022-2023 Pearl farmer seeding a pearl oyster on Friday Island in the remote Torres Strait Islands off northern Australia. Paulharding00 / Shutterstock.com; Pearls from Paspaley | 在澳大利亚北部偏远的托雷斯海峡群岛，珍珠养殖者正在星期五岛上为牡 蛎植入珍珠核。Paulharding00 / Shutterstock.com; Paspaley的珍珠 The world has changed drastically in the past two and a half years amid major health, political and economic headwinds. What remained steadfast though was the market’s insatiable appetite for luxury, including refined pearls and pearl jewellery. International traders, designers and jewellery manufacturers are banking on the pearl’s timeless appeal to fuel market demand amid extraordinary times. Digitalisation played a crucial role in staying in touch with clients and eventually, trading pearls through virtual channels. More educated and sophisticated consumers, especially from the Chinese market, are also fuelling a welcome shift in buying behaviours, which translates to greater appreciation and stronger demand for higher-quality pearls. Pearl jewellery designs, meanwhile, are becoming more and more adventurous, edgy and innovative, placing the pearl’s versatile beauty to the test and earning the admiration of ever-discerning buyers. State of the trade Michael Bracher, executive director of Australia-based pearl specialist Paspaley, said supply of Australian South Sea pearls has remained relatively consistent amid Covid-induced fluctuations in consumer demand. Australia has the longest production lead time, thanks to a longer husbandry period compared with other pearl producers so lower demand had little impact on short-term supply. “As a result, the initial collapse in demand due to Covid did little to impact the short-term supply at the pearl farms,” noted Bracher. “The opposite is also true. Demand is now very strong, but it will be many years before this can have any impact on supply.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NjAxOTU=