Peeking Behind the Japanese Pearl Curtain
Featured ArticlesJapanese akoya pearl farmers have historically been tight-lipped when it comes to their farms and culturing methods. But in today’s competitive pearl market and 24-hour, social media-loving world, the Japanese pearl industry is pushing itself to share more to attract new generations of collectors.
In the tradition-rich and respect-loving landscape of Japan, where Kokichi Mikimoto successfully cultured the first round akoya pearl in 1893, the business of Japanese akoya pearls blossomed into a world-renowned luxury category. Owning a strand of white akoya pearls? It’s a rite of passage for many women, an unexpected statement piece among some young men, and a symbol of elegance, prestige, and understated splendor for all.
Jennifer Heebner, journalist, and Tetsuya Fujita, CEO, Sasebo Pearl Company and chairman of the Japan Pearl Society.
(Photo credit: Jennifer Heebner)
But as categories evolve, so, too, must an industry’s practices if the products are to not only retain existing fans but also attract new ones. This is the crossroads in which the Japanese cultured akoya pearl industry finds itself today. Japanese pearl culturing techniques have been adopted by many other types of pearl farmers the world over (think South Sea pearls to Vietnamese akoyas to Chinese freshwaters), so how does Japan compete? By digging into its rich history of innovation and overcoming some of its secrecy and modesty to keep collectors hooked.
The first step to making that happen was inviting media guests to Japan to learn, which the Japan Pearl Export Association (JPEA) did last year in collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Pearl Association of America (PAA, previously known as the Cultured Pearl Association of America).
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The genesis of the author’s trip with journalists and influencers to Japan to see farms and learn about farming, sorting, separating, and grading cultured Japanese pearls firsthand was an idea from Jeremy Shepherd, president of the PAA. Long an innovator with a passion for the pearl industry…