PEARL REPORT | 10 | 2024-2025 COVER STORY 封面故事 Pearl heritage Jewelmer is celebrating its 45th anniversary in the pearl industry in 2024. Ever resilient and progressive, the company is committed to ensuring that the golden pearl retains its status as a paragon of sustainable luxury through inventive designs and environment-friendly practices. The company recently expanded and redesigned five Jewelmer boutiques in the Philippines, with each shop thoughtfully conceptualised and created using locally sourced natural materials. Alongside other retail concepts in development, the brand is also enthusiastic about introducing an exclusive experience catering to its most discerning clients: Maison Jewelmer. Located at the heart of the Philippines’ central business district, the by-appointment-only private lounge is the largest Jewelmer boutique in the world and the first of its kind for the brand. Drawing references from the pristine nature of its pearl farms and the golden South Sea pearl’s inherent allure, the company offers its clients a space that exudes warmth and luxurious comfort. The boutique is adorned with artwork by renowned international artists. Jewelmer is also working on long-term projects and partnerships aimed at raising worldwide awareness of the South Sea pearl. New jewellery designs that revolutionise the pearl’s image while celebrating its reputation as a sustainable gem are also on the cards. Sustainable operations Jewelmer’s pearl farms, nestled in the gleaming waters off Palawan Island, uphold the highest standards of environmental stewardship and conservation, with sustainability at the core of operations. The pearl farms act as “biogenerators” by contributing to the area’s marine biodiversity and biodensity without depleting the surrounding natural resources. “Our processes do not hinder marine life from growing; they help promote it instead,” explained Branellec. “However, environmental changes beyond our control are constant reminders that Mother Nature is at the helm.” Rising water temperatures, for instance, heavily impact baby oysters’ survival rates. Oysters are highly sensitive to shifts in their ecosystem while temperature is critical to their growth and development. “With fewer oysters reaching maturity, our farms faced challenges in maintaining production levels. The scarcity of healthy oysters increases pearl cultivation costs and affects overall yield,” he noted. Some oysters, however, exhibit “phenotypic plasticity” where they adjust their metabolic rates, reproductive timing or feeding behaviour in response to changes in their surroundings. Jewelmer is undertaking extensive research and development in its hatcheries and applying selective breeding methods to nurture strains that are more resilient to temperature fluctuations. It is also studying new ways to enhance survival rates of young oysters. Further raising the profile of Jewelmer as a premier pearl company is its sustainability agenda. Fully funded by the group and its pearl farms, the Save Palawan Seas Foundation established in 2006 is at the heart of Jewelmer’s marine conservation and protection goals. Jewelmer’s pearl farm in Palawan, Philippines 位于菲律宾巴拉望岛的Jewelmer珍珠养殖场 Pamana Brooch with a baroque golden South Sea pearl centre gem, pearls, diamonds and coloured gemstones Pamana胸针，镶嵌 巴洛克南洋金珠为主石，配以珍珠、钻石和彩宝
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