Akoya necklace

The video for confirming the quality of the pearls can be found here.→ https://youtu.be/jFejos0IZBc
These pearls have a thick layer with a natural bluish tint, and their brilliance is around 80 out of 100. I am very strict in grading pearls, and a perfect score of 100 is equivalent to a mirror. As you can see, these pearls have a baroque shape. Since around last year (2022), the market for Akoya pearls has been continuously rising. I, too, had been closely monitoring this trend and temporarily halted new acquisitions. However, as of now (December 2023), it seems that the market is still expected to rise. Therefore, I decided to take the bold step of acquiring these pearls. What convinced me to make this purchase is the intense bluish hue and strong luster of these pearls.

In the pearl industry, there is a trend favoring pearls with thinner nacre layers over those with thick layers. This preference is because attempting to thicken the nacre layer tends to result in baroque-shaped pearls rather than round ones. Pearl cultivators aim to avoid pearls with baroque shapes, as they are considered less valuable. While thicker nacre layers are generally preferred, in retail, the emphasis is often on the roundness of pearls rather than the thickness of the nacre. In essence, pearls with thicker nacre layers are considered better, but in the retail environment, roundness takes precedence. In such a situation, pearls like these with a deep blue color are becoming rarer. Over an extended cultivation period, forming a thick nacre layer can produce pearls with a rich, deep blue color. Despite the high procurement cost, I decided to acquire these pearls due to these circumstances.

I am not well-versed in economics. Currently, the yen is weak against the dollar. Foreign travelers often say that prices in Japan are cheap. However, many Japanese people feel that prices have risen, and wages in Japan have not increased in the past 30 years, remaining stagnant. In this context, I am curious about how the price of these pearls appears to people overseas. Japan’s birthrate is reportedly 196th in the world. While Japan once had many things to be proud of globally, it is now being surpassed by many countries. Even in industries such as electronics, smartphones, and televisions, China has taken the lead. Toyota cars still have a strong presence, but recently, there was a scandal involving Daihatsu, a Japanese car manufacturer, leading to a large-scale recall issue. Many people in Japan who have already paid for their ordered cars are facing difficulties as Daihatsu’s dealerships are almost in a state of suspension. The Japanese government has issued a considerable amount of currency, the Bank of Japan has bought massive government bonds, and funds have flowed into banks by keeping interest rates negative. Finally, Japan achieved an inflation rate of about 4%, but as it is inflation due to high prices without a rise in wages, the Bank of Japan could not raise interest rates. While the United States has been raising interest rates, Japan, in its situation, cannot raise or lower interest rates, resulting in a strong yen and a weak dollar. Some critics suggest that Japan’s currency is following a path similar to the Turkish lira. This topic has become more prevalent in Japan recently.

The pearl industry also seems susceptible to the chaotic waves of the economy. Prices can sharply rise or fall within a few years. Pearl cultivators are generally understated. At the employee level, they lead very modest lives. When people hear about cultivating Akoya pearls, some may think it’s a highly profitable business. However, the reality is that many are struggling just to survive. From last year, the pearl cultivation industry has experienced economic prosperity, which is quite rare. Even in such conditions, pearl cultivators are conscious that this state will not last long, so they are preparing for the coming winter period.

Now, as of December 2023, I am currently on a business trip to an island with a pearl cultivation farm, where I am daily involved in the sorting of harvested pearls. These pearls will likely enter the market sometime after next summer.

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