INSIGHT PEARL REPORT | 16 | 2022-2023 By 2023 however, supply could tighten as effects of conservative seeding levels at the onset of the pandemic start to become evident, said Bracher. Companies also had to find ways to meet rising demand and deliver goods to buyers in the face of stringent travel restrictions. Paspaley developed an online auction system and wholesale portal, which have greatly benefited customers since these provide them with additional information, including detailed images and videos of lots. The virtual platforms alsoallowbetter cross-referencing of lots and prices from previous auctions. Paspaley’s clients can access its online stock portal to view single pearls, pairs and strands 365 days a year. Both initiatives provide a valuable service to customers and will be permanent fixtures in the company’s distribution system. Bracher said consumers gravitate towards highquality round and drop or oval-shaped pearls, regardless of size, with major markets China, the US and Europe exhibiting solid growth. “The biggest change is the increased level of sophistication within the Chinese market. They have quickly become well-educated and discerning, which has resulted in better awareness and appreciation of pearl quality,” he revealed. Just as pearl companies are effectively adapting to the new normal, work also carried on for gemmological laboratories. Laurent E. Cartier FGA, head of education at Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF, said majority of SSEF’s research and work on cultured pearls and natural pearls over the past three years was centred on age dating and DNA fingerprinting of pearls. “We tested several exceptional and historic natural pearls. These techniques brought new information and documentation on the pearls’ age and species to light,” shared Cartier. “We even discovered a new species of natural pearls submitted by a client. This species has never been reported in the jewellery industry – Pinctada persica.” The natural pearl jewellery set consisted of 63 natural pearls – 61 strands and two loose pearls. SSEF said the pearls exhibited an attractive colour, subtly ranging from delicate cream to cream. Radiocarbon dating confirmed they were “historic in age” while further analysis using DNA fingerprinting revealed that one of the pearls was from the Pinctada radiata species (Persian Gulf and Ceylon pearl oyster). Other pearl samples from the set were attributed to another species: Pinctada persica or Pinctada margaritifera persica. “To our knowledge, this is the first time that pearls from Pinctada persica have been reported. To date, this species has only been found exclusively in the Persian Gulf (Ranjbar et al. 2016),” noted SSEF in a case study. Tahitian pearls The Tahitian pearl industry also suffered an immense setback during the pandemic, specifically on the supply side. To combat these challenges, the Tahitian Pearl Association of Hong Kong (TPAHK) is intensifying growth strategies and implementing more dynamic marketing and promotional initiatives. According to TPAHK co-president Johnny Cheng, the pandemic prevented Chinese grafters from travelling to French Polynesia to cultivate pearls. As a result, production sank by more than 30 per cent. This significant drop in supply, particularly of highly sought-after topquality Tahitian pearls, also pushed prices up. Amy Yan, co-president of TPAHK, revealed that round pearls remain the most popular while other sizes bearing decent colours and designs are also well-liked by customers. Buyers have also generally become more cautious when purchasing jewellery. What was selling however were trendy, daily-wear jewellery pieces with subdued designs. Yan further commented, “The opening of borders in China and the rest of the world will pave the way for people to attend international trade shows once again. This in turn could lead to significant growth.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NjAxOTU=