HERE IS THE PROMISED INFORMATION ON THE RESEARCH DAD DID LATE MARCH, 2008, IN CHINA ON THE POSSIBLE DAMAGE FROM THE COLDEST WEATHER IN 60 YEARS!

AFTER EXAMINING MANY OYSTERS OF ALL AGES, IT APPEARS THAT THE RECORD COLD IN ZHEJIANG PROVINCE DID INFLICK SOME DAMAGE. AS EXPECTED, THE YOUNGEST OYSTERS, THOSE RECENTLY IMPLANTED AND PLACED IN THE PEARL ROWS, TOOK THE MAJOR SHARE OF THE CASUALTIES.

DUE TO THE NEARNESS TO THE SURFACE, ONLY 6 TO 12 INCHES BELOW THE SURFACE, MANY OYSTERS SEEMS TO BE SOMEWHAT STRESSED. THE YOUNGER AND SMALLER OYSTERS WERE MORE HEAVILY DAMAGED DUE TO THEIR LIGHT WEIGHT WHICH KEPT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THE OYSTERS VERY CLOSE TO THE SURFACE. THE 2 TO 5 YEAR OLD OYSTERS FARED MUCH BETTER. THE OLDER AND HEAVIER OYSTERS, NOT NEAR A FLOAT, HANG A FEW INCHES DEEPER ON AVERAGE AND THEREFORE SEEMED TO ESCAPE MAJOR DAMAGE.

THE 18 MONTH OLD OYSTER ON THE LEFT APPEARS UNHARMED BY THE RECORD FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THE 18 MONTH OLD OYSTER ON THE RIGHT SHOWS SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE. THE YELLOWNESS (RIGHT) INDICATES AN UNHEALTHY AND EVEN DYING OYSTER VERSUS THE HEALTHY (LEFT) OYSTER THAT SHOWS A MORE NORMAL RANGE OF TISSUE COLOR. NOTE THAT PEARL SIZE AND EVEN NATURAL PEARL COLORS HAVE DETERIORATED AS THE INJURED OYSTER STRUGGLES TO RECLAIM NUTRIENTS TO SURVIVE.

THESE 2-INCH OYSTERS ARE 6 MONTHS OLD AND READY FOR IMPLANTATION OF MANTEL TISSUE NECESSARY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FRESHWATER PEARLS. THIS IS THE SIZE THAT WAS EFFECTED THE MOST BY THE EXTREME COLD. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE FUTURE HARVEST OF THE OYSTERS PLACED IN THE FARM ROWS JUST PRIOR TO THE RECORD SETTING COLD WEATHER WILL BE VERY DISAPPOINTING IN VOLUME AND QUALITY...TIME WILL TELL!

THIS IS THE LIVING ROOM OF SOME OF THE NICEST FOLKS YOU WILL EVER MEET. PLEASE NOTICE THAT ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE ELECTICITY TO THEIR HOME...THE CANDLES IN THE LEFT CORNER OF THE PICTURE ARE AWAYS READY TO SAVE MONEY WHEN NEEDED! SMALL PEARL FARM OWNERS ARE NOT WEALTHY PEOPLE! THE LARGER CORPORATE FARMS ARE QUICKLY REPLACING SMALLER FAMILY FARMS. THE MEGA FARMS ARE OFTEN BACKED BY JAPANESE INVESTORS WHO WILL SOON TRY TO CONTROL FRESHWATER PEARLS AS THEY HAVE AKOYA PEARLS FOR ALMOST A CENTURY. LOOK FOR INCREDIBLE PRICE INCREASES IN BETTER QUALITY FRESHWATER PEARLS IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS AS THESE MONSTER FARMS COME ON LINE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE TYPICAL SMALL PEARL FARMS...AN OLD RICE FIELD SIMPLY DUG A METER DEEPER THAN THE MEAN WATER LEVEL. THE SURROUNDING RICE FIELDS ACTUALLY ARE ADVANTAGEOUS. THEY SUPPLY FREE FERTILIER TO HELP THE GROWTH OF ALGAE THAT THE PEARL OYSTERS FEED ON NEAR THE SURFACE OF THE WATER!

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE IS PLACED HERE FOR THE ADVANTAGE OF OUR LOYAL SUBSCRIBERS TO THE PEARL EMPORIUM WEEKLY NEWSLETTER. IT IS HERE TO HELP GIVE A BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIKELY DIRECTION OF FUTURE PRICES OF PEARLS IN CHINA. THE INFORMATION WAS GATHERED BY DAD AND DAD IS SOLEY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OPINIONS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE UPDATES ON THIS AND OTHER SUBJECTS CONCERNING FRESHWATER PEARLS...PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR SATURDAY NEWSLETTER IN OUR PEARL EMPORIUM EBAY STORE.

THE NEW MARKET COVERING 12 CITY BLOCKS! AMAZING! ALSO VITUALLY EMPTY! I WOULD EXPECT THAT BY 2020 IT MAY BE 80% OCCUPIED BY PEARL VENDORS!

OUTLOOK FOR THE NEXT 30 - 60 DAYS:

SLIGHTLY HIGHER PRICES AT THE FARM LEVEL DUE TO THE MUCH HIGHER RENTS NOW CHARGED IN THE HUGE NEW MEGA PEARL MARKET COMPLEX, THE SEVERE COLD WEATHER OF LAST WINTER, AND THE STRONGER CHINESE YUAN (RMB) THAT WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 4 YEARS AT A RECORD PACE!

THE BETTER QUALITY PEARLS ARE LIKEY TO DISAPPEAR UNTIL THE FALL HARVEST THAT WILL START ABOUT MID SEPTEMBER AND LAST UNTIL MID NOVEMBER.

GOD BLESS, DAD