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HERE IS THE PROMISED SCOOP ON
THE DIRECTION OF QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARL PRICES!
IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION WILL ADD TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
THE FUTURE PRICES OF QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS. THE NEWEST GENERATION OF FRESHWATER PEARLS ARE
BECOMING MORE BEAUTIFUL, WITH MORE NATURAL LUSTER, AND IN LARGER SIZES
THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS GUIDE WILL GIVE YOU FACTUAL INFORMATION, FROM
SOMEONE INSIDE THE PEARL TRADE, THAT WE HOPE WILL BE BOTH HELPFUL AND
PROFITABLE WHETHER YOU ARE A PART TIME JEWELRY CREATOR, A MANAGER OF A
LARGE PEARL JEWELRY FACTORY, OR A GAL WITH AN ATTRACTION TO BEAUTIFUL PEARL JEWELRY.
THE LAST FIVE YEARS IN BUYING AND WHOLESALING FRESHWATER PEARLS HAS
BEEN THE MOST EXCITING TIME IN THE HISTORY OF PEARLS! THE QUALITY OF CHINESE FRESHWATER
PEARLS HAS CONTINUED TO RISE TO LEVELS THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE ONLY A FEW
YEARS EARLIER. PRICES HAVE ACTUALLY DROPPED GREATLY FOR THE SAME QUALITY OF PEARL
STRAND DURING THIS SAME 5-YEAR PERIOD.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET BETTER AND BETTER QUALITY JEWELRY GRADE PEARLS AND STILL SEE PRICES GET LOWER AND LOWER?
THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHICH BACK UP THE ABOVE ASSUMPTION:
ON JULY 21, 2005, CHINA FINALLY ALLOWED THE YUAN TO FLUCUATE BY UNATTACHING THE YUAN FROM THE US DOLLAR. MANY TALKED OF A STRENGTHENING OF PEARL PRICES AT THAT TIME; HOWEVER, PEARL PRICES CONTINUED TO SLIP AS MORE PEARLS, WITH MORE QUALITY CONTINUED TO SHOW UP AVAILABLE FOR SALE.
MOST OF THAT SLIPPAGE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED POOR MARKETING BY POOR PEARL FARMERS AND AGGRESSIVE BUYING TECHNIQUES BY BOTH HONG KONG PEARL DEALERS AND THE JAPANESE PEARL BUYERS. THEIR "TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT' ATTITUDE ATTACHED TO EACH OF THEIR OFFERS FORCED MOST CHINESE FARM OWNERS, STINGERS, AND RESELLERS THAT THEY HAD LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT THE MEAGER OFFERS FOR THEIR PEARL STOCK.
THESE PEARLS WERE MARKETED BY THESE DEALERS AS BETTER QUALITY TO THE FINAL USER, BUT THE FARMERS GOT NOTHING FOR THEIR STELLAR EFFORTS TO DOUBLE THE QUALITY OF THEIR PEARLS! IN REALITY, DOUBLING OF THE QUALITY OF ANY PEARL STRANDS WOULD EASILY MEAN AN INCREASE IN THE STRANDS VALUE TO 3 TO 7 TIMES HIGHER FOR JEWELRY APPLICATIONS.
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PRICE PAID TO THE FARMERS IN CHINA TO THE FINAL CUSTOMER FOR THEIR STUNNING AND LUSTEROUS NEW SHOWPIECES INCREASED GREATLY. THE RESULT WAS THAT HONG KONG AND JAPANESE COMPANIES MARKETING PEARL STRANDS AND PEARL JEWELRY POCKETED HUGE AMOUNTS OF CASH. THAT SAME CASH FURTHER EMBRAZENED MANY PEARL DEALERS TO CONTINUE INCREASING THEIR SHARE OF EACH SUBSEQUENT HARVEST OF HIGH QUALITY PEARLS FROM CHINA, FINANCED BY THE POOREST PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS...THE FARMERS.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SUPPLY OF QUALITY PEARLS? ARE WE NOW STILL IN AN OVER SUPPLIED PERIOD?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
DUE TO THE INCREASING QUALITY OF FRESHWATER PEARLS AND THEIR CLOSER PERCEIVED PROXIMITIY TO THE VALUE OF AKOYAS AND EVEN TRUE SOUTH SEA PEARLS; MANY NEW MARKETS HAVE OPENED FOR FRESHWATER PEARLS!
MANY JEWERY STORE CHAINS ARE NOW FEATURING HIGH QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS AS ALTERNATIVES TO HIGH PRICED AKOYA AND SOUTH SEA PEARLS. THE SAME CHAIN STORES SNUBBED FRESHWATER PEARLS EARLIER AS LOW QUALITY JUNK!
ALSO, MANY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ONCE PRODUCED AKOYA PEARL JEWELRY HAVE ADDED FRESHWATER PEARLS TO THEIR PRODUCT LINE...OR COMPLETELY ABANDONED AKOYAS FOR THE BETTER VALUES AND QUALITY AVAILABLE IN FRESHWATER PEARLS. WHEN IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT FOR A SALESPERSON TO EXPLAIN WHY THE $400 AKOYA NECKLACE LOOKED LESS ATTRACTIVE AND HAD LESS NATURAL LUSTER THAN THE $129 FRESHWATER PEARLS IN THE FRESHWATER PEARL SHOWCASE....GOOD DECISIONS WERE MADE! QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS ARE NOW STARTING TO BE SEEN AS THE VALUE LEADER IN THE PEARL INDUSTRY AT ALL LEVELS.
OF COURSE, DO NOT ASK AN AKOYA PRODUCER WHY THEIR PRODUCT IS PRICED MUCH MORE THAN TOP FRESHWATER PEARLS THE SAME SIZE, QUALITY AND APPEARANCE. THEY WILL ALWAYS HAVE A REASON OR TWO TO EXPLAIN WHY AKOYAS ARE BETTER AND MORE EXPENSIVE. BUT, ARE THEY?
LET US LOOK AT THESE TWO PRODUCTS AND SEE IF WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE DYNAMICS OF THIS COMPARISON.
AKOYAS ARE 90% SHELL BEAD OR OTHER MAN MADE MATERIAL CALLED A "NUCLEUS", NOT NACRE, WHICH IS THE NATURAL MATERIAL THAT ALL PEARLS ARE MADE FROM STRAIGHT FROM THE OYSTERS. THE ROUND BEAD IS IMPLANTED WITH A BIT OF MANTEL TISSUE, OR MEAT, FROM A SAME SPECIES OYSTER TO TRY AND PREVENT REJECTION BY THE SALTWATER AKOYA OYSTER THAT GROWS THE PEARL. IF A 6 MM ROUND MACHINE-SHAPED SHELL BEAD IS IMPLANTED, IT TAKES ABOUT 6 TO 8 MONTHS TO PRODUCE A 6.2 TO 6.2 MM ROUND OR CLOSE TO ROUND AKOYA PEARL.
TO PRODUCE THE SAME SIZE AND THE SAME QUALITY A FRESHWATER PEARL IS FORMED IN ABOUT 3 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS! FRESHWATER PEARLS ARE INDEED 100% NACRE, OR 100% PEARL MATERIAL, WHICH THEREFORE MAKES IT HARD TO ARGUE THAT IT IS NOT A REAL PEARL! A SMALL BIT OF ONLY MANTEL TISSUE IS PLACED IN MANY PLACES THROUGH OUR BOTH SIDES OF THE OYSTER, NOT A SOLID NUCLEUS. THE MEAT ROTS; BUT FIRST BEGINS THE NATURAL PROCESS OF PRODUCING A GROUP OF CRYSTALS WHICH START THE NEW PEARL GROWING.
(IT ALSO BEGINS THE REAL ARGUMENT...ARE AKOYAS REAL PEARLS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ONLY 5% TO 10% NACRE OR PEARL MATERIAL? BUT THAT IS FOR ANOTHER GUIDE TO BE WRITTEN SOON)
OF COURSE, IF AKOYAS WERE EVER TO BE RENAMED AS ANYTHING EXCEPT "PEARLS", THEN THE $120,000 A STRAND SOUTH SEA PEARLS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE RENAMED. JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
WHY ARE AKOYAS SO VERY HIGH IN PRICE FOR THE SAME QUALITY WHEN COMPARED TO FRESHWATER PEARLS? THE REASONS ARE NUMEROUS. CONSIDER THAT ONLY SEVEN (7) YEARS AGO THERE WERE NO FRESHWATER PEARLS APPROACHING "ROUND" IN SHAPE THAT CAME CLOSE TO THE APPEARANCE AND QUALITY OF A TOP GRADE JAPANESE AKOYA PEARL. ALL THAT STARTED TO CHANGE THE NEXT YEAR WHEN LESS THAN 100 STRANDS OF NEAR ROUND 6.5 - 7 MM TOP WHITE, INCREDIBLY LUSTEROUS, REMARKABLY GORGEOUS, AND MOUTH WATERINGLY SCRUMPOUS WERE SHOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME. UNTIL THAT TIME THE MARKETING SKILLS OF THE JAPANESE PEARL COMPANIES CONTROLLED THE AKOYA MARKET, MUCH LIKE DEBEERS CONTROLS THE PRICES OF ALL DIAMONDS!
TWO YEARS LATER THE SAME QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS WERE PRODUCED...BUT THESE WERE STUNNING 8 MM TO 8.5 MM STRANDS THAT TOPPED THE QUALITY, APPEARANCE, AND LUSTER OF ANY AKOYA PEARL! TODAY, EVEN A FEW 9 MM FRESHWATER PEARLS OF THIS QUALITY CAN BE FOUND SPARINGLY.
THESE NEW AND HIGHER QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS WERE PRODUCED WITH IMPROVED TECHIQUES DURING THE PLANTING PROCESS. THE RESULTS WERE SO ASTOUNDING THAT SEVERAL JAPANESE COMPANIES PRACTICALLY FORCED THEIR PRESENCE INTO THE FRESHWATER PEARL PRODUCTION, BOTH IN MAINLAND CHINA AND IN JAPAN. THEY EVIDENTLY SAW BOTH A NEW PRODUCT TO SEEK AS A VERY PROFITABLE FUTURE VENTURE, AS WELL AS A FOREBODING OMEN OF THINGS TO HAPPEN SOON TO THE AKOYA INDUSTRY.
I CAN EASILY IMAGINE THAT THEY ENVISIONED IN THE FUTURE THAT A SALESPERSON IN A TOP JEWELRY STORE IN NEW YORK CITY WOULD OFFER A STUNNING AKOYA NECKLACE TO A CUSTOMER ONLY TO BE REBUFFED WHEN THE PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS SAYS, "I BOUGHT A FRESHWATER PEARL NECKLACE JUST LIKE IT FOR ONLY ONE-TENTH THE PRICE!" THIS COULD BE THE STUFF NIGHTMARES WERE MADE OF FOR MANY JAPANESE BUSINESS MEN. THERFORE, THEY SCRAMBLED TO START PRODUCING QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS QUIETLY; ALL THE WHILE STILL VERBALLY MALIGNING CHINESE FRESHWATER PEARLS AS INFERIOR!
THEY VERY SIMILARLY TALK ABOUT THE CHINESE AKOYAS TODAY AS VASTLY INFERIOR TO JAPANESE AKOYAS. HOWEVER, THE SAME JAPANESE NOW BUY AS MUCH AS 85% OF THE BETTER QUALITY AKOYAS PRODUCED IN CHINA AND SELL THEM AS JAPANESE AKOYAS AT INCREDIBLY HIGHER PRICES!
UNDERSTANDING A BIT ABOUT THE PRICING HISTORY OF AKOYAS VERSUS FRESHWATER PEARLS ABOVE WILL HELP IN UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE REASONS THAT FRSHWATER PEARLS WILL INCREASE IN PRICE IN ALL MARKETS VERY SOON. QUALITY SELLS! AS LONG AS YOU, THE FINAL CUSTOMER FOR PEARLS, DO NOT SEE GORGEOUS, "KNOCK-YOUR-SOCKS-OFF" FRESHWATER PEARLS...YOU PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE ANY DESIRE TO OWN ANY. THAT WILL SOON CHANGE AS THE BETTER FRESHWATER PEARLS SHOW UP ON RODEO DRIVE AND IN THE FINEST NEW YORK JEWELRY STORES, AS WELL AS WALMART!
TODAY, BECAUSE OF THE HIGHER QUALITY AND ALSO DUE TO THE MANY HUNDREDS OF SHAPES AND SIZES AND NATURAL COLORS, WHICH ARE AVAILBLE TODAY ONLY IN FRESHWATER PEARLS; FW PEARLS ARE THE TRUE VALUE LEADER IN JEWELRY COMPONETS. NO OTHER BEAD OR GEM CAN SURPASS QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS FOR THE SAME PRICE PER BEAD. THEREFORE, PRICES WILL HAVE AN UPWARD DIRECTION FOR YEARS TO COME AS MORE AND MORE CONSUMERS DISCOVER THE WORLD OF QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS.
UNLIKE "MOOD RINGS" FROM THE SIXTIES, FRESHWATER PEARLS, BEING PERHAPS THE ONLY TRUE CULTURED 100% PEARL, ARE HERE TO STAY. THE INTRINSIC VALUE OF PEARLS IS INGRAINED IN OUR CULTURE... ALL CULTURES. PEARLS HAVE BEEN STORES OF VALUE FOR OVER 4,000 YEARS AND EVEN GOD ALMIGHTY LIKES THEM! OTHERWISE HE WOULD HAVE MADE THE 12 GATES OF THE CAPITAL CITY OF HEAVEN FROM SOME OTHER MATERIAL! EACH GATE IS A STUNNING PEARL!!! I HOPE EACH OF YOU GET TO SEE THOSE SOME DAY. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DAY WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION!
SO POINT ONE IS: PEARLS HAVE A TENDANCY TO GO UP IN VALUE AS THE QUALITY ALSO RISES. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER FACTORS. WE DISCUSSED THE RELEASE OF THE CHINESE YUAN FROM THE DOLLAR AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE POOR MARKETING OF THE CHINESE PRODUCERS, BOTH OF THESE FACTORS HAVE CHANGED GREATLY IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
TODAY, THE MAKETING SKILLS ARE VASTLY IMPROVED IN A LARGE PORTION OF THE PEARL PRODUCING AREA OF CHINA. THAT MEANS BARGAINS ARE VERY HARD TO COME BY TODAY WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT AND A LOTS OF DRIVING. MY TRIP JUST ENDED JANUARY 27 WAS THE HARDEST TRIP I HAVE EXPERIENCE. IT WAS ALMOST A WEEK LONGER THAN MY USUAL TRIPS AND EVEN WITH THOSE EXTRA DAYS...VOLUME WAS LOWER AND BARGAINING WAS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
THE YUAN HAS GREATLY INCREASED IN STRENGTH WORLD WIDE AND NOW SITS AT 7.1 YUAN TO ONE DOLLAR INSTEAD OF THE 8.28 YUAN TO THE DOLLAR OF JULY 21, 2005. BUT THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT STILL RESISTED THE FLOATING OF THE YUAN! THEY DID IT FIRST ONLY AS A WAY OF APPEASING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE OLYMPICS IN CHINA LATER THIS YEAR.
THE YUAN GAINED SLOWLY AT FIRST, AS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ALLOWED, AS A TEST TO SEE IF THEIR FEARS WERE WELL FOUNDED OF AN EXPORT COLLASPSE WHICH MANY CHINESE ECONOMIST HAD FORECAST PRIVATEY. IT NEVER HAPPENED! THEREFORE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOWED A FASTER AND FASTER RATE OF CHANGE.
WHILE THERE IS SOME COMPLAINTS FROM SOME SEGMENTS OF THE CHINESE EXPORTING COMMUNITY, THE BENEFITS OF A STRONGER YUAN STARTED TO BE SURPRISINGLY RECOGNIZED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CLAIMED THAT THE CHINESE YUAN WAS STILL 40% UNDER VALUED WHEN TRADING AT THE 7.55 TO THE DOLLAR LEVEL SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. USING THAT FIGURE IT LOOKS LIKE WESTERN COUNTRIES EXPECT OR DESIRE A 4.5 TO 5 YUAN TO THE DOLLAR WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
TODAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2008, WE ARE BETWEEN 7.1 TO 7.2 TO THE DOLLAR IN DAILY FLUCUATIONS, BUT AT 5 YUAN TO THE DOLLAR, PEARLS WILL BEGIN TO BE QUITE EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO TODAYS VALUATION. SO BETTER QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS CAN BE EXPECTED TO RISE ANOTHER 35% FROM TODAYS LEVEL IN THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS JUST FROM THE RISING STRENGTH OF THE YUAN ALONE!
IS 5 TO THE DOLLAR POSSIBLE? ABSOLUTELY, THE WORLD BANK HAS NOT SAID ONE WORD AS THE YUAN MOVES STEADILY STRONGER AND STRONGER. THE WORLD BANKN OR ANY OTHER INTERNATIONAL ENTITY HAVE COMMENTED ABOUT THE TARGET OF 4.55 TO THE DOLLAR A FEW MONTHS AGO BY THE U.S.A. THAT SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES!
REMEMBER JAPAN, HONG KONG, TAIWAN...ALL THREE OF THOSE COUNTRIES EXPERINCED PERIODS IN HISTORY WHERE THEY WERE THE CHEAPEST PRODUCERS OF PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD. EACH OF THOSE THREE COUNTRIES CAN NO LONGER BE CALLED CHEAP PRODUCERS! TO THE CONTRARY, ALL ARE CONSIDERED AS QUALITY PRODUCERS OF GOODS AT HIGH PRICES. CHINA IS IN THE PROCESS OF JOINING THOSE COUNTRIES. THE DIFFERENCE WILL BE MORE SPECTACULAR BECAUSE WE HAVE A MUCH MORE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY THAN EVER BEFORE. THE INTERNET HAS HELPED TO MAKE BUSINESS EASIER BETWEEN FAR AWAY PLACES. THE CHANGES WILL BE MORE RAPID AND MORE SHOCKING THAN THOSE OTHER THREE COUNTRIES. CHINA IS ABSOLUTELY HUGE! IT NOW SUPPLYS MANY ITEMS IN EVERY INDUSTRY AND THEREFORE WILL IMPACT THE WORLD IN WAYS MOST HAVE NEVER IMAGINED.
ADD IN THE OTHER FACTORS. MUCH HIGHER CHINESE WAGES, MORE NEW MARKETS FOR PEARLS, AND MORE DISSATISFACTION WITH LOWER PAYING, DIRTIER JOBS!
WAGES ARE GOING UP FASTER THAN IMAGINABLE ONLY A FEW MONTHS AGO. AS YOUNGER WORKERS ACTUALLY "QUIT" THEIR PRESENT JOB AND VENTURE INTO THE BIG MEGA CITIES TO SEEK MUCH MORE LUCRATIVE JOBS WITH REAL BENEFITS AND BUILT IN SALARY INCREASES PROVIDED BY MANY FOREIGN FACTORIES NOW IN CHINA! THE FACT IS THAT ONLY 77% OF NEW JOB OPENINGS ARE FILLED NOW COMPARED TO 100% TWO YEARS AGO. THE IMPACT OF THAT FACT IS MULTIPLIED WHEN YOU ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WERE "HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS" OF JOB HUNTERS STILL IN LINE WHEN ALL JOBS WERE FILLED TWO YEARS AGO FOR ANY NEW FACTORY WHICH WAS OPENING.
IT WAS ONLY 10 YEARS AGO WHEN CHINA WAS PROCLAIMED TO HAVE A "NEVER ENDING SUPPLY OF CHEAP AND RELIABLE LABOR FOR ANY NEW FACTORY", THAT IS WHY MANY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE U.S.A., RUSHED IN. 10 YEARS AGO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED "INSANE" TO QUIT ANY JOB...EVERY JOB WAS VERY SCARCE AND IT WAS UNTHINKABLE. TODAY YOUTH AND MIDDLE AGED WORKERS SWITCH JOBS FOR BETTER PAY, BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS, AND FOR BETTER CHANCES AT ADVANCEMENT.
MOST OF THE WORKERS DOING THE WORST JOBS IN THE PEARL INDUSTRY ARE "OVER 50 YEAR OLD WOMEN". THEY ARE THE MOST UNEDUCATED AND THE LEAST MOBILE. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO PULL THE PEARLS FROM THE OYSTERS THAT WERE PULLED FROM THE WATER THREE TO FIVE DAYS EARLIER. THE STENCH IS UNBELIEVABLE! BUT IT DOES SPEED UP THE SEPARATING OF THE PEARLS FROM THE MANTEL TISSUE. THE TISSUE SIMPLY IS ROTTEN BY THEN AND THE PEARLS FALL OUT. THE PEARLS ARE THEN PLACED INTO CRUDE MACHINES THAT VIBRATE AND SPIN THE SLIMMY STINKY MEAT OUT AS A NEAR LIQUID AND ALLOWS THE PEARLS TO SINK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAIL EASILY. AFTER A DIP IN A VAT OF WATER, THE PEARLS ARE 90% PROCESSED ALREADY! I HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY STANDING NEAR THESE LADIES WHILE WATCHING THEM WORK A FEW MINUTES OF THEIR 12 HOUR DAYS. MY EYES WATERED AND MY NOSE TRIED TO CLOSE ON ITS OWN. OF COURSE, THE LADIES THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY FUNNY!
WITH THE COMING OF THE OLYMPICS WE WILL SEE MANY NEW FREEDOMS OPEN, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY, IN CHINA. THERE IS ALREADY SOME CHANGES IN THE NEGOTIATIONS TO ALLOW SOME INTERNET AND TV COVERAGE FROM THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY. IT IS STILL BANNED ON ALL INTERNET AS ARE MANY OTHER NEWS ORGANIGATIONS AND COMPANIES WHO HAVE COVERED PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR IN CHINA IN THEIR NEWS REPORTING.
CHINA IS NOW A CAPITALISTIC COUNTRY, BUT IT WILL NOT ADMIT IT. MUCH HIGHER WAGES, LACK OF NEW WORKERS DUE TO THE CHINESE ONE CHILD LAWS, AND THE MUCH STRONGER YUAN WILL RESULT IN VASTLY HIGHER PEARL PRICES FROM NOW ON!
ALL EXPORTS FROM CHINA MUST SOON BEGIN TO RISE. EVEN TOYS NOW UNDER WORLD SCRUTINY WILL BE HIGHER PRICED AS THE GOVERNMENT HAS IMPLIMENTED FAR REACHING RULES TO IMPROVE QUALITY. MORE INSPECTORS AND MUCH HARSHER PUNISHMENTS FOR THOSE CAUGHT EMBARASSING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AHEAD OF THE OLYMPICS ARE ONLY TWO OF THE CHANGES THAT WILL FORCE PRICES HIGHER.
ALL IN ALL, TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO BUY THE BEST QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS, BEFORE PRICE ERUPT LIKE A VOLCANO.
ALL PRODUCTS FROM CHINA WIL RISE SUBSTANTUALLY BEFORE THE OLYMPICS BEGIN...REMEMBER YOU HEARD IT FIRST FROM DAD.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE UPDATES ON THIS SUBJEST, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER TO GET THE LATEST AND BEST INFORMATION ON PEARLS AND CHINA THAT IS AVAILABLE NO WHERE ELSE ON EARTH.
HAVE A GREAT DAY, DAD
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET BETTER AND BETTER QUALITY JEWELRY GRADE PEARLS AND STILL SEE PRICES GET LOWER AND LOWER?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN TO LOWS IN PRICES FOR CHINA'S MOST
GORGEOUS CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD OF FASHION AND NECKULAR ADORNMENTS.
THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHICH BACK UP THE ABOVE ASSUMPTION:
ON JULY 21, 2005, CHINA FINALLY ALLOWED THE YUAN TO FLUCUATE BY UNATTACHING THE YUAN FROM THE US DOLLAR. MANY TALKED OF A STRENGTHENING OF PEARL PRICES AT THAT TIME; HOWEVER, PEARL PRICES CONTINUED TO SLIP AS MORE PEARLS, WITH MORE QUALITY CONTINUED TO SHOW UP AVAILABLE FOR SALE.
MOST OF THAT SLIPPAGE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED POOR MARKETING BY POOR PEARL FARMERS AND AGGRESSIVE BUYING TECHNIQUES BY BOTH HONG KONG PEARL DEALERS AND THE JAPANESE PEARL BUYERS. THEIR "TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT' ATTITUDE ATTACHED TO EACH OF THEIR OFFERS FORCED MOST CHINESE FARM OWNERS, STINGERS, AND RESELLERS THAT THEY HAD LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT THE MEAGER OFFERS FOR THEIR PEARL STOCK.
THESE PEARLS WERE MARKETED BY THESE DEALERS AS BETTER QUALITY TO THE FINAL USER, BUT THE FARMERS GOT NOTHING FOR THEIR STELLAR EFFORTS TO DOUBLE THE QUALITY OF THEIR PEARLS! IN REALITY, DOUBLING OF THE QUALITY OF ANY PEARL STRANDS WOULD EASILY MEAN AN INCREASE IN THE STRANDS VALUE TO 3 TO 7 TIMES HIGHER FOR JEWELRY APPLICATIONS.
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PRICE PAID TO THE FARMERS IN CHINA TO THE FINAL CUSTOMER FOR THEIR STUNNING AND LUSTEROUS NEW SHOWPIECES INCREASED GREATLY. THE RESULT WAS THAT HONG KONG AND JAPANESE COMPANIES MARKETING PEARL STRANDS AND PEARL JEWELRY POCKETED HUGE AMOUNTS OF CASH. THAT SAME CASH FURTHER EMBRAZENED MANY PEARL DEALERS TO CONTINUE INCREASING THEIR SHARE OF EACH SUBSEQUENT HARVEST OF HIGH QUALITY PEARLS FROM CHINA, FINANCED BY THE POOREST PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS...THE FARMERS.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SUPPLY OF QUALITY PEARLS? ARE WE NOW STILL IN AN OVER SUPPLIED PERIOD?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
DUE TO THE INCREASING QUALITY OF FRESHWATER PEARLS AND THEIR CLOSER PERCEIVED PROXIMITIY TO THE VALUE OF AKOYAS AND EVEN TRUE SOUTH SEA PEARLS; MANY NEW MARKETS HAVE OPENED FOR FRESHWATER PEARLS!
MANY JEWERY STORE CHAINS ARE NOW FEATURING HIGH QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS AS ALTERNATIVES TO HIGH PRICED AKOYA AND SOUTH SEA PEARLS. THE SAME CHAIN STORES SNUBBED FRESHWATER PEARLS EARLIER AS LOW QUALITY JUNK!
ALSO, MANY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ONCE PRODUCED AKOYA PEARL JEWELRY HAVE ADDED FRESHWATER PEARLS TO THEIR PRODUCT LINE...OR COMPLETELY ABANDONED AKOYAS FOR THE BETTER VALUES AND QUALITY AVAILABLE IN FRESHWATER PEARLS. WHEN IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT FOR A SALESPERSON TO EXPLAIN WHY THE $400 AKOYA NECKLACE LOOKED LESS ATTRACTIVE AND HAD LESS NATURAL LUSTER THAN THE $129 FRESHWATER PEARLS IN THE FRESHWATER PEARL SHOWCASE....GOOD DECISIONS WERE MADE! QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS ARE NOW STARTING TO BE SEEN AS THE VALUE LEADER IN THE PEARL INDUSTRY AT ALL LEVELS.
OF COURSE, DO NOT ASK AN AKOYA PRODUCER WHY THEIR PRODUCT IS PRICED MUCH MORE THAN TOP FRESHWATER PEARLS THE SAME SIZE, QUALITY AND APPEARANCE. THEY WILL ALWAYS HAVE A REASON OR TWO TO EXPLAIN WHY AKOYAS ARE BETTER AND MORE EXPENSIVE. BUT, ARE THEY?
LET US LOOK AT THESE TWO PRODUCTS AND SEE IF WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE DYNAMICS OF THIS COMPARISON.
AKOYAS ARE 90% SHELL BEAD OR OTHER MAN MADE MATERIAL CALLED A "NUCLEUS", NOT NACRE, WHICH IS THE NATURAL MATERIAL THAT ALL PEARLS ARE MADE FROM STRAIGHT FROM THE OYSTERS. THE ROUND BEAD IS IMPLANTED WITH A BIT OF MANTEL TISSUE, OR MEAT, FROM A SAME SPECIES OYSTER TO TRY AND PREVENT REJECTION BY THE SALTWATER AKOYA OYSTER THAT GROWS THE PEARL. IF A 6 MM ROUND MACHINE-SHAPED SHELL BEAD IS IMPLANTED, IT TAKES ABOUT 6 TO 8 MONTHS TO PRODUCE A 6.2 TO 6.2 MM ROUND OR CLOSE TO ROUND AKOYA PEARL.
TO PRODUCE THE SAME SIZE AND THE SAME QUALITY A FRESHWATER PEARL IS FORMED IN ABOUT 3 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS! FRESHWATER PEARLS ARE INDEED 100% NACRE, OR 100% PEARL MATERIAL, WHICH THEREFORE MAKES IT HARD TO ARGUE THAT IT IS NOT A REAL PEARL! A SMALL BIT OF ONLY MANTEL TISSUE IS PLACED IN MANY PLACES THROUGH OUR BOTH SIDES OF THE OYSTER, NOT A SOLID NUCLEUS. THE MEAT ROTS; BUT FIRST BEGINS THE NATURAL PROCESS OF PRODUCING A GROUP OF CRYSTALS WHICH START THE NEW PEARL GROWING.
(IT ALSO BEGINS THE REAL ARGUMENT...ARE AKOYAS REAL PEARLS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ONLY 5% TO 10% NACRE OR PEARL MATERIAL? BUT THAT IS FOR ANOTHER GUIDE TO BE WRITTEN SOON)
OF COURSE, IF AKOYAS WERE EVER TO BE RENAMED AS ANYTHING EXCEPT "PEARLS", THEN THE $120,000 A STRAND SOUTH SEA PEARLS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE RENAMED. JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
WHY ARE AKOYAS SO VERY HIGH IN PRICE FOR THE SAME QUALITY WHEN COMPARED TO FRESHWATER PEARLS? THE REASONS ARE NUMEROUS. CONSIDER THAT ONLY SEVEN (7) YEARS AGO THERE WERE NO FRESHWATER PEARLS APPROACHING "ROUND" IN SHAPE THAT CAME CLOSE TO THE APPEARANCE AND QUALITY OF A TOP GRADE JAPANESE AKOYA PEARL. ALL THAT STARTED TO CHANGE THE NEXT YEAR WHEN LESS THAN 100 STRANDS OF NEAR ROUND 6.5 - 7 MM TOP WHITE, INCREDIBLY LUSTEROUS, REMARKABLY GORGEOUS, AND MOUTH WATERINGLY SCRUMPOUS WERE SHOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME. UNTIL THAT TIME THE MARKETING SKILLS OF THE JAPANESE PEARL COMPANIES CONTROLLED THE AKOYA MARKET, MUCH LIKE DEBEERS CONTROLS THE PRICES OF ALL DIAMONDS!
TWO YEARS LATER THE SAME QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS WERE PRODUCED...BUT THESE WERE STUNNING 8 MM TO 8.5 MM STRANDS THAT TOPPED THE QUALITY, APPEARANCE, AND LUSTER OF ANY AKOYA PEARL! TODAY, EVEN A FEW 9 MM FRESHWATER PEARLS OF THIS QUALITY CAN BE FOUND SPARINGLY.
THESE NEW AND HIGHER QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS WERE PRODUCED WITH IMPROVED TECHIQUES DURING THE PLANTING PROCESS. THE RESULTS WERE SO ASTOUNDING THAT SEVERAL JAPANESE COMPANIES PRACTICALLY FORCED THEIR PRESENCE INTO THE FRESHWATER PEARL PRODUCTION, BOTH IN MAINLAND CHINA AND IN JAPAN. THEY EVIDENTLY SAW BOTH A NEW PRODUCT TO SEEK AS A VERY PROFITABLE FUTURE VENTURE, AS WELL AS A FOREBODING OMEN OF THINGS TO HAPPEN SOON TO THE AKOYA INDUSTRY.
I CAN EASILY IMAGINE THAT THEY ENVISIONED IN THE FUTURE THAT A SALESPERSON IN A TOP JEWELRY STORE IN NEW YORK CITY WOULD OFFER A STUNNING AKOYA NECKLACE TO A CUSTOMER ONLY TO BE REBUFFED WHEN THE PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS SAYS, "I BOUGHT A FRESHWATER PEARL NECKLACE JUST LIKE IT FOR ONLY ONE-TENTH THE PRICE!" THIS COULD BE THE STUFF NIGHTMARES WERE MADE OF FOR MANY JAPANESE BUSINESS MEN. THERFORE, THEY SCRAMBLED TO START PRODUCING QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS QUIETLY; ALL THE WHILE STILL VERBALLY MALIGNING CHINESE FRESHWATER PEARLS AS INFERIOR!
THEY VERY SIMILARLY TALK ABOUT THE CHINESE AKOYAS TODAY AS VASTLY INFERIOR TO JAPANESE AKOYAS. HOWEVER, THE SAME JAPANESE NOW BUY AS MUCH AS 85% OF THE BETTER QUALITY AKOYAS PRODUCED IN CHINA AND SELL THEM AS JAPANESE AKOYAS AT INCREDIBLY HIGHER PRICES!
UNDERSTANDING A BIT ABOUT THE PRICING HISTORY OF AKOYAS VERSUS FRESHWATER PEARLS ABOVE WILL HELP IN UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE REASONS THAT FRSHWATER PEARLS WILL INCREASE IN PRICE IN ALL MARKETS VERY SOON. QUALITY SELLS! AS LONG AS YOU, THE FINAL CUSTOMER FOR PEARLS, DO NOT SEE GORGEOUS, "KNOCK-YOUR-SOCKS-OFF" FRESHWATER PEARLS...YOU PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE ANY DESIRE TO OWN ANY. THAT WILL SOON CHANGE AS THE BETTER FRESHWATER PEARLS SHOW UP ON RODEO DRIVE AND IN THE FINEST NEW YORK JEWELRY STORES, AS WELL AS WALMART!
TODAY, BECAUSE OF THE HIGHER QUALITY AND ALSO DUE TO THE MANY HUNDREDS OF SHAPES AND SIZES AND NATURAL COLORS, WHICH ARE AVAILBLE TODAY ONLY IN FRESHWATER PEARLS; FW PEARLS ARE THE TRUE VALUE LEADER IN JEWELRY COMPONETS. NO OTHER BEAD OR GEM CAN SURPASS QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS FOR THE SAME PRICE PER BEAD. THEREFORE, PRICES WILL HAVE AN UPWARD DIRECTION FOR YEARS TO COME AS MORE AND MORE CONSUMERS DISCOVER THE WORLD OF QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS.
UNLIKE "MOOD RINGS" FROM THE SIXTIES, FRESHWATER PEARLS, BEING PERHAPS THE ONLY TRUE CULTURED 100% PEARL, ARE HERE TO STAY. THE INTRINSIC VALUE OF PEARLS IS INGRAINED IN OUR CULTURE... ALL CULTURES. PEARLS HAVE BEEN STORES OF VALUE FOR OVER 4,000 YEARS AND EVEN GOD ALMIGHTY LIKES THEM! OTHERWISE HE WOULD HAVE MADE THE 12 GATES OF THE CAPITAL CITY OF HEAVEN FROM SOME OTHER MATERIAL! EACH GATE IS A STUNNING PEARL!!! I HOPE EACH OF YOU GET TO SEE THOSE SOME DAY. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DAY WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION!
SO POINT ONE IS: PEARLS HAVE A TENDANCY TO GO UP IN VALUE AS THE QUALITY ALSO RISES. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER FACTORS. WE DISCUSSED THE RELEASE OF THE CHINESE YUAN FROM THE DOLLAR AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE POOR MARKETING OF THE CHINESE PRODUCERS, BOTH OF THESE FACTORS HAVE CHANGED GREATLY IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
TODAY, THE MAKETING SKILLS ARE VASTLY IMPROVED IN A LARGE PORTION OF THE PEARL PRODUCING AREA OF CHINA. THAT MEANS BARGAINS ARE VERY HARD TO COME BY TODAY WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT AND A LOTS OF DRIVING. MY TRIP JUST ENDED JANUARY 27 WAS THE HARDEST TRIP I HAVE EXPERIENCE. IT WAS ALMOST A WEEK LONGER THAN MY USUAL TRIPS AND EVEN WITH THOSE EXTRA DAYS...VOLUME WAS LOWER AND BARGAINING WAS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
THE YUAN HAS GREATLY INCREASED IN STRENGTH WORLD WIDE AND NOW SITS AT 7.1 YUAN TO ONE DOLLAR INSTEAD OF THE 8.28 YUAN TO THE DOLLAR OF JULY 21, 2005. BUT THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT STILL RESISTED THE FLOATING OF THE YUAN! THEY DID IT FIRST ONLY AS A WAY OF APPEASING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE OLYMPICS IN CHINA LATER THIS YEAR.
THE YUAN GAINED SLOWLY AT FIRST, AS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ALLOWED, AS A TEST TO SEE IF THEIR FEARS WERE WELL FOUNDED OF AN EXPORT COLLASPSE WHICH MANY CHINESE ECONOMIST HAD FORECAST PRIVATEY. IT NEVER HAPPENED! THEREFORE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOWED A FASTER AND FASTER RATE OF CHANGE.
WHILE THERE IS SOME COMPLAINTS FROM SOME SEGMENTS OF THE CHINESE EXPORTING COMMUNITY, THE BENEFITS OF A STRONGER YUAN STARTED TO BE SURPRISINGLY RECOGNIZED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CLAIMED THAT THE CHINESE YUAN WAS STILL 40% UNDER VALUED WHEN TRADING AT THE 7.55 TO THE DOLLAR LEVEL SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. USING THAT FIGURE IT LOOKS LIKE WESTERN COUNTRIES EXPECT OR DESIRE A 4.5 TO 5 YUAN TO THE DOLLAR WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
TODAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2008, WE ARE BETWEEN 7.1 TO 7.2 TO THE DOLLAR IN DAILY FLUCUATIONS, BUT AT 5 YUAN TO THE DOLLAR, PEARLS WILL BEGIN TO BE QUITE EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO TODAYS VALUATION. SO BETTER QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS CAN BE EXPECTED TO RISE ANOTHER 35% FROM TODAYS LEVEL IN THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS JUST FROM THE RISING STRENGTH OF THE YUAN ALONE!
IS 5 TO THE DOLLAR POSSIBLE? ABSOLUTELY, THE WORLD BANK HAS NOT SAID ONE WORD AS THE YUAN MOVES STEADILY STRONGER AND STRONGER. THE WORLD BANKN OR ANY OTHER INTERNATIONAL ENTITY HAVE COMMENTED ABOUT THE TARGET OF 4.55 TO THE DOLLAR A FEW MONTHS AGO BY THE U.S.A. THAT SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES!
REMEMBER JAPAN, HONG KONG, TAIWAN...ALL THREE OF THOSE COUNTRIES EXPERINCED PERIODS IN HISTORY WHERE THEY WERE THE CHEAPEST PRODUCERS OF PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD. EACH OF THOSE THREE COUNTRIES CAN NO LONGER BE CALLED CHEAP PRODUCERS! TO THE CONTRARY, ALL ARE CONSIDERED AS QUALITY PRODUCERS OF GOODS AT HIGH PRICES. CHINA IS IN THE PROCESS OF JOINING THOSE COUNTRIES. THE DIFFERENCE WILL BE MORE SPECTACULAR BECAUSE WE HAVE A MUCH MORE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY THAN EVER BEFORE. THE INTERNET HAS HELPED TO MAKE BUSINESS EASIER BETWEEN FAR AWAY PLACES. THE CHANGES WILL BE MORE RAPID AND MORE SHOCKING THAN THOSE OTHER THREE COUNTRIES. CHINA IS ABSOLUTELY HUGE! IT NOW SUPPLYS MANY ITEMS IN EVERY INDUSTRY AND THEREFORE WILL IMPACT THE WORLD IN WAYS MOST HAVE NEVER IMAGINED.
ADD IN THE OTHER FACTORS. MUCH HIGHER CHINESE WAGES, MORE NEW MARKETS FOR PEARLS, AND MORE DISSATISFACTION WITH LOWER PAYING, DIRTIER JOBS!
WAGES ARE GOING UP FASTER THAN IMAGINABLE ONLY A FEW MONTHS AGO. AS YOUNGER WORKERS ACTUALLY "QUIT" THEIR PRESENT JOB AND VENTURE INTO THE BIG MEGA CITIES TO SEEK MUCH MORE LUCRATIVE JOBS WITH REAL BENEFITS AND BUILT IN SALARY INCREASES PROVIDED BY MANY FOREIGN FACTORIES NOW IN CHINA! THE FACT IS THAT ONLY 77% OF NEW JOB OPENINGS ARE FILLED NOW COMPARED TO 100% TWO YEARS AGO. THE IMPACT OF THAT FACT IS MULTIPLIED WHEN YOU ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WERE "HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS" OF JOB HUNTERS STILL IN LINE WHEN ALL JOBS WERE FILLED TWO YEARS AGO FOR ANY NEW FACTORY WHICH WAS OPENING.
IT WAS ONLY 10 YEARS AGO WHEN CHINA WAS PROCLAIMED TO HAVE A "NEVER ENDING SUPPLY OF CHEAP AND RELIABLE LABOR FOR ANY NEW FACTORY", THAT IS WHY MANY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE U.S.A., RUSHED IN. 10 YEARS AGO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED "INSANE" TO QUIT ANY JOB...EVERY JOB WAS VERY SCARCE AND IT WAS UNTHINKABLE. TODAY YOUTH AND MIDDLE AGED WORKERS SWITCH JOBS FOR BETTER PAY, BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS, AND FOR BETTER CHANCES AT ADVANCEMENT.
MOST OF THE WORKERS DOING THE WORST JOBS IN THE PEARL INDUSTRY ARE "OVER 50 YEAR OLD WOMEN". THEY ARE THE MOST UNEDUCATED AND THE LEAST MOBILE. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO PULL THE PEARLS FROM THE OYSTERS THAT WERE PULLED FROM THE WATER THREE TO FIVE DAYS EARLIER. THE STENCH IS UNBELIEVABLE! BUT IT DOES SPEED UP THE SEPARATING OF THE PEARLS FROM THE MANTEL TISSUE. THE TISSUE SIMPLY IS ROTTEN BY THEN AND THE PEARLS FALL OUT. THE PEARLS ARE THEN PLACED INTO CRUDE MACHINES THAT VIBRATE AND SPIN THE SLIMMY STINKY MEAT OUT AS A NEAR LIQUID AND ALLOWS THE PEARLS TO SINK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAIL EASILY. AFTER A DIP IN A VAT OF WATER, THE PEARLS ARE 90% PROCESSED ALREADY! I HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY STANDING NEAR THESE LADIES WHILE WATCHING THEM WORK A FEW MINUTES OF THEIR 12 HOUR DAYS. MY EYES WATERED AND MY NOSE TRIED TO CLOSE ON ITS OWN. OF COURSE, THE LADIES THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY FUNNY!
WITH THE COMING OF THE OLYMPICS WE WILL SEE MANY NEW FREEDOMS OPEN, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY, IN CHINA. THERE IS ALREADY SOME CHANGES IN THE NEGOTIATIONS TO ALLOW SOME INTERNET AND TV COVERAGE FROM THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY. IT IS STILL BANNED ON ALL INTERNET AS ARE MANY OTHER NEWS ORGANIGATIONS AND COMPANIES WHO HAVE COVERED PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR IN CHINA IN THEIR NEWS REPORTING.
CHINA IS NOW A CAPITALISTIC COUNTRY, BUT IT WILL NOT ADMIT IT. MUCH HIGHER WAGES, LACK OF NEW WORKERS DUE TO THE CHINESE ONE CHILD LAWS, AND THE MUCH STRONGER YUAN WILL RESULT IN VASTLY HIGHER PEARL PRICES FROM NOW ON!
ALL EXPORTS FROM CHINA MUST SOON BEGIN TO RISE. EVEN TOYS NOW UNDER WORLD SCRUTINY WILL BE HIGHER PRICED AS THE GOVERNMENT HAS IMPLIMENTED FAR REACHING RULES TO IMPROVE QUALITY. MORE INSPECTORS AND MUCH HARSHER PUNISHMENTS FOR THOSE CAUGHT EMBARASSING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AHEAD OF THE OLYMPICS ARE ONLY TWO OF THE CHANGES THAT WILL FORCE PRICES HIGHER.
ALL IN ALL, TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO BUY THE BEST QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS, BEFORE PRICE ERUPT LIKE A VOLCANO.
ALL PRODUCTS FROM CHINA WIL RISE SUBSTANTUALLY BEFORE THE OLYMPICS BEGIN...REMEMBER YOU HEARD IT FIRST FROM DAD.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE UPDATES ON THIS SUBJEST, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER TO GET THE LATEST AND BEST INFORMATION ON PEARLS AND CHINA THAT IS AVAILABLE NO WHERE ELSE ON EARTH.
HAVE A GREAT DAY, DAD
Guide created: 02/10/08 (updated 09/06/08)
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