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PEARL TALKS: Elisabeth Strack
This is the first part of the first interview in a series of talks that I am going to have around the world. As I conduct more and more talks with the leaders in both knowledge and production I hope to learn as much as possible. Please learn with me by clicking the link below and subscribing to our “Pearl Talks” Youtube channel… I hope that you enjoy!

Pearls are farmed in some of the most beautiful and remote corners of the earth. On behalf of my family business, Imperial and the Cultured Pearl Association of America, I have the honor of traveling to these locations creating a documentary about all aspects of pearl farming. We’ll cover each evolutionary stage such as hatchery, seeding, farming, harvesting, processing etc., and interview farm owners- learning first hand the challenges and rewards of this extraordinary business. Another aspect I’m eager to discover and share with each of you is the native cultures of each region.

I will be leaving with a production company out of California going first to Hong Kong, then to Zhuji located in main land China to explore Chinese freshwater pearls.

From China, I will fly to the Philippines, which is the home of Jewelmer, renown farmers of the exotic Golden South Sea pearl.

From the Philippines I will head to Japan for a week where I will visit the city of Kobe, farms located in the area of Ise where the iconic white Akoya pearls are harvested and the hometown of legendary Kokichi Mikimoto.

From Japan its off to Fiji to meet Justin Hunter who owns farms that are producing some of the worlds most vibrant colored black pearls.

Finally I will visit the tropical paradise of Tahiti as a guest of Tahitian pearl powerhouse, Robert Wan, the man responsible for approximately 60% of the worlds’ black pearls.

Tahiti will complete my first journey over seas but there is one destination left which requires visiting later in the year due to the the peak harvest season, that is Australia! Located in the remote northwestern corner of Australia is the Paspaley pearling operation. The Paspaley Group are the largest farmers of what is possibly the worlds most luxurious and valuable pearls, the White South Sea.

I will be posting pictures and writing through out my trip. Many of the destinations are far removed from urban society therefore internet will be unaccessible. However, I will be sure to update my status upon my return to the cities. So stay tuned!

Best Use of Pearls:

Llyn L. Strelau, Jewels by Design
Sculpture titled “Who Are You” featuring two-tone gold and silver with freshwater baroque Pearls, South Sea
keshi Pearls, akoya seed Pearls, demantoid Garnets (.25 ctw.), .20 ct. Ruby and cognac Diamonds (.03
ctw.) on a crystal Quartz base (242 ctw.)
Spectrum Awards

We traveled to Panyu China to see the new Facility
View Pictures

Create a storm of pearl sales with Pearl-cipitation, Imperial’s newest T.V. commercial

By SSEF Posted: 05/17/10 08:21

Press Release: The Swiss Gemmological Insititute SSEF has received large quantities of saltwater pearls for certification in recent weeks. SSEF director Dr. Michael S. Krzemnicki said these pearls are generally characterized by an almost perfect appearance and are often accompanied by reports describing them as natural pearls. However, their appearance has raised doubt amongst many natural pearl dealers.

The pearls were tested with the most advanced forms of technology, including X-ray radiography, X-ray luminescence, X-ray micro tomography and radiocarbon age dating, and many were actually identified as beadless cultured pearls. Although they do not show one distinct feature that explicitly characterises them as cultured, it is a combination of internal and external structures which enable conclusive indentification of this material.

The arrival of large quantities of these new saltwater pearls, whose quality is far better than that of many natural pearls, represents a great danger to the natural pearl market. Following the sudden increase of this material on the market, the SSEF has taken a number of measures to protect the natural pearl trade. The SSEF has adapted its pearl certification policy and is collaboratively promoting transparent standards at an international level.

An important step is the use of more rigorous and specified definitions for natural and cultured pearls. A natural pearl is a pearl which formed in a wild oyster (mussel) and is living in its natural habitat. It formed without any human intervention. Any pearl stemming from a pearl cultivation farm is a cultured pearl.

Find the full article on the SSEF website www.ssef.ch

The Swiss Gemmological Institute, part of the Swiss Foundation for the Research of Gemstones (SSEF: Schweizerische Stiftung für Edelstein-Forschung) was founded by trade organisations in 1974 and works independently on a scientific basis. This Foundation comes under the aegis of the Federal Department of Internal Affairs. The function of the SSEF laboratory is to analyse precious stones and issue test reports for diamonds, coloured stones and pearls. It was recognised in 1978 by the World Jewellery Confederation – CIBJO. It is also a member of the International Colored Stone Association – ICA. The SSEF is supervised by a board of seven members, the laboratory being directed by Dr. M.S. Krzemnicki. All laboratory gemmologists have a scientific and gemmological education and work on a high level of experience and integrity. The laboratory is equipped with the most modern analytical instruments. This ensures the detection of the authenticity of gemstones and gem treatments on a scientific and reproducible basis.

http://www.antique-jewelry-investor.com/the-history-of-pearls.html

A diamond is forever, but pearls have been recognized as prized jewels in the history of Pearls for centuries longer than any cut stone.

Old information on pearls says that the Arabian Gulf contained the world’s oldest, largest and rarest pearl beds ever known.

This region, and in particular the Gulf of Mannar, between India and Sri Lanka, was the international center of the natural pearl industry for over 4,000 years, together with the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea. It was based on the species of pearl oyster known as Pinctada radiata.

The unique mix of fresh and saltwater that surrounds Bahrain, is one of the secrets to the exceptional quality of Persian Gulf Pearls

Ounce for ounce, Natural pearls are one of the most valuable natural objects on earth, so sought after and expensive that Julius Caesar barred women below a certain rank from even wearing them.

Unlike diamond grading however, there is no universal grading system, so it stands to reason, that it will reward you well to know the eight key elements used for grading pearls here.

Men at their best and men at their worst stalk the pages of pearl history. Kings, India’s princes – The Maharajahs have courted them tirelessly.

“Pearls are like a woman. Once you discover her, you will never stop loving her.” Yvonne Hammouda-Eyre

Pearl History Secrets
Understandably, a trade that’s kept its’ secrets for thousands of years does not yield up its wisdom just for the taking.

These cool flames have come to us with a hot price. Diving for Natural pearls in the early pearling days was filled with danger. In the history of pearls and the quest to find the perfect natural pearl many pearl divers have lost their lives.

Torres Straits “skin” divers, for instance, were considered to be the best divers in the world, being able to “stay down” for two or three minutes.

The history of the trade has been no rose garden.

It’s a fabulous history though, about a fabulous business, founded on bloodstained drama, incident after incident, rouges and even murderers. (in fact, lots of them!)

Today people prefer to use scientific rather than romantic terms to describe them. They talk about their “symmetry” rather than shape, their “surface” rather than their complexion.

In the history of pearls, the romantic terms to describe pearls are actually more accurate because they are evocative and more precisely describe what you see and feel when looking at Pearls