About The Pearl Girls

The Pearl Girls create all of our jewelry and designs at our shop in Athens, GA. We also have a huge reknot and repair department. People all over the world ship us their pearls and beaded jewelry to reknot, repair or create into a new design. Along with our passion for pearls, we are passionate about creating jobs right here in our home base in Athens, GA. We provide many perks to our staff including childcare for our hardworking mothers! Thank you for supporting us so we can continue supporting others. And thanks for sharing in our passion!

Japanese Cultured Pearls after WWII

Wed, Apr 21, 2021 | Pearl Blog

See part 1 of our post here: Grandmother's Graduated Pearls

Can't get enough of those Japanese cultured pearls!

Despite the fact that the cultured pearl trade was severely damaged by World War II, after the war, the industry boomed. Demand was high and competition was low. Both the U.S. and many countries in Europe were loving the Japanese cultured pearls. The production of cultured pearls increased through the 1950s and 1960s and life was good.

But, sometimes, good things come to an end (or at least they have a low thrown in with that high!). Suddenly, in the 1960s, the supply of Japanese akoya pearls exceeded the demand. Prices bottomed out and cultured pearl companies went bankrupt.

So, here comes the regulations! In the 1970s the Japanese government stepped in to bring the pearl market in balance. By 1972 prices stabilized and the good years began again. The pearl market thrived in the 1980s and 1990s.

In the 1990s a mysterious disease swept through akoya pearl oyster populations. It killed many oysters. This epidemic was devastating to the pearl industry and acts as a great reminder of how unpredictable this business truly is.

Now, the Japanese are involved in both the import and export business. The Japanese export about 18-20 tons of akoya pearls a year. They also import South Sea, Tahitian, and Chinese akoya cultured pearls which are sold in Japan as well as exported.

 

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