A real touch with freshwater pearl

I first came to know and got interested in pearl in1985. It was during a holiday trip to Japan. I visited a pearl farm in Kobe. I saw a demonstration on how pearls are being proudced, the process on how the nacre grows in the lake, how ladies jump into the lake to pluck the nacre. There was also an explanation on the price of Japanese Akoya cultured pearl.

In May 2006 I visited a pearl factory in Suzhou. Here, the demonstration of the pearl harvesting process is slightly different from Japan. They showed us how the nacre is collected from the pearl lake. They opened the nacre before the visitors. One can see a number of pearls stuck inside the nacre. They use the pearls to make and design all kinds of pearl jewelry for sale.

During the first week of November 2006 I again visited the same factory in Suzhou. I went to the showroom but could not find the same item which I bought in May 2006. From this experience, I realise the designs of pearl jewelry are changed and updated very quickly. I also find that the product quality has improved.

When visitors come to the pearl facrtory in Suzhou, the staff would bring them to the demonstration room to view how the nacre is collected from the farm. The demonstrator (they call her teacher) would open the nacre before the visitors. She would keep the nacre open (see picture below) and visitors could touch the pearl stuck in the nacre, sometime even stick it out and given to the customer on the floor. The demonstrator is very experienced and knowledgeable about the pearl industry. She elaborated on a variety of pearl products. Besides pearl jewelry, there is also a pearl skincare series comprising skin lotion, moisturizer, night cream, whitening cream, wrinkle cream etc. The most outstanding skin product is the beautifying whitening cream set. Another product - pearl powder can be used to heal the skin when it got burnt or cut. It can also be used to treat moutn ulcer. Pearl powder can also be taken as a health food to improve and keep the skin smooth, fair and healthy.

The price and sophistication of beautiful pearls are based on their size, shape, color and luster. New technology is used to grade pearls according to these criteria, manufacture difference type of pattern. The pearls are then designed into beautiful and elegant pearl jewelry. Wearing pearls is fashionable and always charming for a lady.

The demonstration room occupied 1/4 of the total show house area. This is why they treat is as importance to educate customer with the real good pearl products.