This weekend, as usual, I returned from Osaka to Kobe on Friday night.
After arriving in Kobe, I sorted through deep blue pearls based on a customer’s request.
I recorded the process on video, so you can see both the deep blue pearls and the pearl selection process.
The next day, Saturday, I visited a pearl company run by an acquaintance.
There, I had the opportunity to see the pearls they had won at this season’s auction.
It seems that one particular pearl company placed significantly higher bids than the average, which resulted in my acquaintance’s company being unable to acquire as many pearls as usual.
Although the overall pearl market is trending downward, this major pearl company has been aggressively purchasing a large number of pearls at high prices in the auctions for carefully cultivated pearls.
Additionally, I heard that more and more sellers are marketing high-quality freshwater pearls as “freshwater Akoya pearls.”
Because of this, the market price for 3mm and 4mm Akoya pearls has been declining.
It seems that rather than expensive Akoya pearls, affordable and high-quality freshwater pearls are selling well.
Recently, the phrase “freshwater pearls that resemble Akoya pearls” has evolved into some sellers outright labeling them as “freshwater Akoya pearls.”
Moreover, due to unfavorable growth conditions for Akoya oysters nationwide, the availability of 8mm pearls has significantly decreased, causing their prices to rise.
Of course, this is just the perspective of one pearl company, so it cannot be generalized.
However, from what I gathered:
- A major player in the pearl industry is aggressively purchasing pearls.
- Chinese freshwater pearls are becoming a significant threat to 2mm to 4mm Akoya pearls.
- Large pearls (8mm and above) are maintaining relatively high prices.
That was the overall takeaway.
I left for that pearl company around noon and then headed to my family home.
I didn’t have any particular reason to go back, but since my older brother was visiting, I decided to return as well.
Of course, I was especially happy to see our family dog, Lulu.
The area where my family home is located is quite rural, and time flows at an incredibly slow pace there.
For dinner, I went to a yakiniku restaurant with my mother, brother, and four nephews.
Even after returning home from the restaurant, it wasn’t even 9 PM yet.
Time truly feels slower here.
I had planned to relax and write an article at my family home, but I ended up eating too much yakiniku and became unbearably sleepy.
So, I’ll call it a night for now.
Comment