INSIGHT 睿智角度 50 | JNA September/October 2025 | Bernardette Sto. Domingo 杜明高 | Hong Kong pearl specialist Rio Pearl wants to change the market’s perception of pearls beyond that of traditional gems through advances in cultivating new pearl variants, contemporary jewellery designs and marketing to younger consumers. 中国香港珍珠专家丽雅珠行希望通过培育新 品种、推出当代珠宝设计，以及针对年轻消费者进行营销，改 变市场对珍珠的传统认知。 Pearls have maintained a solid footing despite broader market volatilities, thanks to their multifaceted nature and rising consumer interest in versatile gems. Hong Kong-based Rio Pearl attests to this, having witnessed steady demand and prices since early 2025. According to Rio Pearl Director Terence Lee, the pearl market has demonstrated remarkable resilience and solid performance over the past two years. It was during the Covid-19 pandemic that the industry established reliable sales networks that became crucial to sustaining momentum, he added. Consequently, geopolitical disruptions along with tariffs and pricier gold appear to have a more profound impact on finished jewellery than on loose pearls. While the surge in gold prices also affected Rio Pearl's jewellery business, its pearls continued to enjoy stable demand. And with this are changes in buying behaviour and preferences, noted Lee. “Clients seem to be shifting away from traditional large pieces to pearl strands in varying lengths and sizes, challenging the perception of pearls as heirlooms or old-fashioned gems. Pearls continue to sell but buyers are on the lookout for something different,” he continued. Asian buyers Asian markets – specifically Japan, China and Southeast Asia – are driving growth in the white South Sea pearl segment, and this was evident at Rio Pearl’s auctions in Hong Kong and China. There is also a noticeable uptrend in the prices of commercial-quality pearls or those falling under the medium to medium-low grade range. Lee explained that pearls are increasingly being viewed as a “musthave” in consumers’ jewellery collections, which further supports the unprecedented rise in demand for pearl strands. Famed brands RIO PEARL: Safeguarding the pearl’s legacy 丽雅珠行：守护珍珠的传承
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