All natural color cutrured baroque pearls from Lake Kasumi 2011 harvest. Sizes 13-16mm

The best strand I have ever assembled! What a joy to see these glow.
Please come have a look at our booth in the GJX #107 January 31st – February 5th 2012 Tucson Gem Show.

AS ALWAYS …. KOJIMA COMPANY AND PACIFIC PEARLS WILL BE EXHIBITING IN BOOTH # 107 AT THE

Hours: Tuesday 31st thru Saturday 4th – 10:00am to 6:00pm

Sunday 5th – 10:00am to 4:00pm*

*No buyers admitted after 3:00pm on closing day, Sunday 5th.

Please visit : http://www.gjxusa.com/gjxbuyer.html

for information on buyer registration. This is a wholesale only show.

We will be exhibiting the latest harvest of Japan Kasumi pearls, the most recent variety of Chinese fresh water pearls, vintage Japan Akoya pearls, a huge selection of loose pearls, singles and pairs, a variety of natural pearls in both loose and strands… and ofcourse one of a kind jewelry.

It’s always a party.. please stop by, and or email us with any special requests. (Fuji’s birthday is February 2nd.. make sure to remind him!

SAN MATEO CALIFORNIA INTERGEM SHOW

(at the san mateo county fair grounds)

SEPTEMBER 9-11 2011

Friday 12-6

Saturday 10-6

Sunday 11-5

AND

AT THE SANTA MONICA INTERGEM SHOW

(at the santa monica civic center)

SEPTEMBER 23-25 2011

Friday 12-6

Saturday 10-6

Sunday 11-5

THANK YOU JEREMY!

This past weekend I spent in a mansion atop Mount Olympus overlooking Los Angeles for as far as the eye could see in any direction. It was truly spectacular. Complete with a glowing blue pool and an opportunity to reawaken my tennis skills (we kept score not in points.. but by counting the number of balls hit over the fence). The house was filled with pearl enthusiasts that have met through Pearl Guide over the last several years. Pearl Guide is an on line forum where people all around the world gather daily to update and discuss all matters pearl related, from new market discoveries.. to questions from novices.. to photos of fabulous creations.. it is the largest and most informative site about pearls in the world. The site is the brain child of Jeremy Shepherd (owner of Pearl Paradise) and moderated by the venerable Caitlin. Pearl Guide has fostered such a sense of community that some of it’s most avid members have created a tradition of meeting once a year, as a sort of pearl family reunion. These meetings are generously coordinated and hosted by Jeremy Shepherd and his staff at Pearl Paradise. This year’s Pearl Ruckus will be hard to top! For the opportunity to be included in this group of pearls.. I am eternally thankful.  What a blessing to spend time with such a group of people, and in such a remarkable setting.

We began arriving on Friday afternoon, and each of us found a space in one of the ten or so rooms.  I found my spot in the top top little turret room which was decorated like a Moroccan lounge with windows on all sides , tonnes of pillows and easy access to the roof through a midget size door. Friday evening the dinner was delicious! We lounged around like the royal family, slowly arriving from all the corners we had traveled from.

Saturday morning I enjoyed outside, the sound of the fountain, and delighted that there were baby bunnies in the garden. We all gathered for a series of presentations. The first  from Josh Humbert of Kamoka Pearls. Josh showed us some of his incredible photos and talked alot about how his family figured out new ways to encourage ecologically sound farming practices throughout the atolls of French Polynesia. His presentation really captured what being at the farm on Ahe is like, for instance : how playing with the eyes of the fish you just caught is actually really funny.. and also reminding us all just how many people work so hard to bring just one pearl to the market.. how there is pride and love for all aspects of their pearl farm.. and just how rare that is these days.

Next up was Douglas McLaurin partner in Mexico’s only Pearl farm in the Sea of Cortez at Guaymas. Douglas is not only a biologist but a historian as well. He’s just a pretty brilliant and hilarious person all around.

He taught me a lot about the history of Mexico and the effects that politics and war can have on nature. HOW THE ENVIRONMENT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE BORDERS! Perlas del Mar De Cortez is a small farm, bringing only the finest pearls to market. This strand of near round pearls and keshi was a lovely example

Michael Rivers (AKA: Mikeyy on Pearl Guide) is the owner of  The Pearler.com and also the supplier of nuclei to many of the worlds largest pearl farms. He shared amazing examples of some huge shells and also some great examples of how nuclei are produced and what makes them higher quality choices for pearl producers. Mikeyy is a easy going guy with great tales of adventure, having started shell digging at the age of 13 to being an international professional scuba diver.. he has seen it all! He was really great about the trail of coffee grounds that I accidentally sprinkled through his room!

At some point during the seminars we took a break and out came a pearl tiara we have been working on here at Kojima : for a contest on Pearl Guide. I promised the winner a bag full of pearly treasures.. I never expected that tiaras could make both men and women.. THIS HAPPY!

And finally lunch was served! After yet another beautiful meal I took a swim and all the ladies gathered in the dining room for a pearl stringing demonstration from Hisano the jewelry designer at Pearl Paradise. She was incredibly patient, and really did an amazing job of teaching the group some wonderful time saving secret techniques. It was a joy to watch everyone learning new tricks.

That afternoon, there was more pearl show and tell going on.. Josh set up shop next to the pool, and the ladies took notice!

"Pattye" and Blaire Beavers, Pearls EXTRAOIRDINAIRE!

Saturday night was an elegant affair, the house swelled with more guests and everyone delighted in fine food and drink, candles were lit and the pearls were plenty.. I was too busy having fun to take any photos.. but I remember many flashes! I hope I will get to see some of those photos!

Some time on Sunday morning.. someone poured molasses into the air.. and the house full of pearls.. woke up a little less than perky. We all piled into cars and made it down to Pearl Paradise for some time sorting through their vault and more talk of pearls..

IT WAS A VERY FULL WEEKEND.. and ONE I AM VERY GLAD I DID NOT MISS! Thank you Jeremy, thank you ladies! Everyone there this past weekend is an inspiration to me!

JUST IN! THESE HAND MADE LEATHER AND PEARL CUFF BRACELETS IN ADJUSTABLE SIZES

ARE RIPE FOR SUMMER WEAR! I KNOW YOU HAVE ALL LONGED FOR THE LEATHER

BRACELETS OF YESTER YEAR>>> SO I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THESE FRESH KOJIMA

DESIGNS! PLEASE SEE THE BRACELET SECTION OF THE JEWELRY STORE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS> HAPPY SUNSHINE TO YOU ALL. LOVE, SARAH

THESE BROOCHES WILL RETAIL FOR $55…. Please feel free to email me directly, if you are interested in purchasing one or some.

Enjoy!

First off… a few days ago we dove into the back of the “forgotten” safe of vintage pearls.. and started unwrapping some treasures. I am most excited about the wraps full of VINTAGE Lake Biwa pearl strands. These pearls were once bought and sold by Pacific Pearls both in Tokyo and Hong Kong with regularity, evenutally with the demise of production in Japan’s Lake Biwa and the growing success  of the trade in Chinese fresh water pearls, these rare pearls found themselves on the back shelves of the pearl shop.  I set to stringing up some of this 40 year old collection right away! Slowly but surely I will be sharing these as finished necklaces and strands! I love pearls with a story.. and these pearls are nothing with out their provenance. It feels good to know exactly where they come from.. and that after 40 years.. the colors and luster are still elegant and bright!

As always I have been busy here. Making new friends… discovering the Mona Lisa in a wall of toast, shopping for pearls, riding the ferry, visiting with friends and being silly, while proving the theories of Einstein over and over again!

My most favorite purchases thus far have been:

32" endless ropes of natural color Tahitian banded pearls in silver and mixed colors

16" strand of massive baroque Chinese fresh water pearls in natural deep lavender and golden tones

13- 15mm natural color Chinese fresh water deep pondslime near round graduated strand

STAY TUNED… THERE IS STILL A WEEK OF PEARL SHOPPING TO GO… and loads more to be uploaded to the website. I hope you all enjoyed a long and wonderful weekend!