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cultured pearls, genuine pearls, golden pearls, kojima, kojima pearl, kojimapearl, pacific pearls, pearl farming, pearl news, pearls, Power of Pearl, rare pearls, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls, travel
Watch the trailer for Power of Pearl, a documentary about sustainable pearl farming in the Philippines
We love this film, it features a community of pearl farmers in a remote locations.  Pearls are a renewable resource, unlike other gems that are created over millennia, pearls can be grown in a number of months or years, with equipment that is reused. The production of pearls supports entire villages, empowering women and children in these communities and producing intergenerational livelihoods. The farmers struggled after Typhoon Haiyan destroyed some of their operations, but came together to rehabilitate the farm and have succeeded despite this setback. The community is strong in their sustainable practices, the industry has equal participation from women and men laborers, and the farming supports education for the youth.
The kids in the farming community:
A pearl extracted from a oyster shell:
Watch a trailer for the documentary here:
Congratulations to Ahbra and Taylor for completing this phenomenal documentary!~
See some of these types of pearls on our site here!
baroque, cultured pearls, genuine pearls, japan, japan kasumi, japanese, kasumi ga ura, kasumi pearls, kasumiga, kojima, kojima pearl, kojima pearls, kojimapearl, lake kasumi, pacific pearls, pearl farming, pearl necklace, pearl news, pearls, rare pearls, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls
Spring News from Kojima Pearl
Here is a peek at our top strand from the 2018 Japan Kasumi pearl harvest.
The natural color baroque Japanese fresh water pearls in this strand range in size from 10-13mm.
I carefully choose each pearl in the strand for the optimum color range, and luster.
This is a yearly ritual for me, and one I look forward to very much.
Here is a photo of the strand in natural light and the sweetness of the Spring rain.
Stay tuned for more news on our Spring Sale!
akoya, cortez pearls, cultured pearls, Douglas McLaurin, exhibitions, Fuji Voll, genuine pearls, japan kasumi, jewelry designer, kasumi pearls, kojima, kojima pearl, kojimapearl, lake kasumi, mexican pearls, natural pearls, pacific pearls, pearl farming, pearl news, Pearl-Guide, pearls, rainbow lipped oyster, rare pearls, Sea of Cortez, Sea of Cortez pearls, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls, tradeshow, travel, weird pearls, wild pearls
Do you follow us on Instagram?
Check us out on Instagram !
We often add new photos of new pieces we make to Instagram first.
It's a convenient way to see what we are up to in the studio of music, laughter and pearls a plenty!
We have also created an Instagram account for our family business www.PacificPearls.us
You can shop many one of a kind loose pearls there.
Just direct message us with questions or requests to purchase....
There is also a treasure trove of family pearl photos and a priceless video of Enrique and Douglas from Sea of Cortez pearl farm serenading Fuji for his birthday.
We're getting really excited about our upcoming Spring Sale.
Look for our newsletters in April with the invitation and coupon code.
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
2017, akoya, akoya pearls, antique jewelry, baroque, classic pearls, cultured pearls, duchesse, fashion blog, freshwater pearls, golden pearls, handmade, heirloom, jewelry designer, kojima pearl, kojimapearl, passage des perles, pearl, quality, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls, vintage akoya, white pearls
a pearl reno from the heart...
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
Waking up on Thanksgiving in the beautiful back country of Mendocino County was lovely.
Wifi is shaky in the country,
but I was able download the blog post from Passage des Perles , and warmed me like none other.
Last Spring when I visited with La Duchesse and her lovely family in Montreal, she handed me a gorgeous necklace of lustrous near round fresh water pearls that were dear to her heart, but said that she didn't wear that length much anymore.
Her account of what these pearls meant to her is a story that makes what we do worth it!
(really any account by La Duchesse is worth the read, we read them aloud in the studio, and you can sign up for her blog to be emailed to you too!)
I love bringing special pearl pieces back to life, giving them a current appeal while retaining the memories they hold for the owner.
It was an honor to rework these pearls for her.
Thankful for the ladies who trust us to handle their treasures.
We love what we do, we laugh, we play, we work with beautiful material, your stories and photos of how these pieces touch your soul and bring smiles to your faces is SO much a part of what gives us the steam to keep going all these years.
For the circle of friends and family we have created world wide, each one of you:
a pearl in the greatest strand ever!
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
baroque, cultured pearls, exhibitions, fresh water, genuine pearls, Hanoi, Hong Kong, hong kong jewelry show, japan, japan kasumi, japanese, jewelry designer, kasumi ga ura, kasumi pearls, kojima, kojima pearl, kojima pearls, kojimapearl, lake kasumi, pearl news, pearls, pteria penguin, rare pearls, Saigon, Sea of Cortez pearls, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls, Tahitian pearls, travel, weird pearls, wild pearls
SFO-HKG-HAN-SGN-HKG-SFO-FAMILYREUNION-HIGHALERT - a pearly month in review
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
Exactly a month ago, we jetted off to Hong Kong to shop the famous pearl show. Jet-lagged but fueled with coffee and laughter we poured over the best pearls the world has to offer for four days straight.
We bought treasures galore and are busy dreaming up new designs!
I'm very excited to work with these natural pearls from the pteria penguin!
They were wild found, and are extremely rare!
I chose each one specifically for a one of a kind collector's piece.
Next stop was Hanoi. It was a joy to have 36 hours in this rich city, so full of life.
Probably the best moment from our short stay in Hanoi was when our office manager ran out of a temple to grab me and show me her favorite part; it was a shaft of light.... that light really seemed to like her too!  #kojimagoddess
After a decade away from Ho Chi Minh City, it was so thrilling to see my friends again.
This is Co Bay, she was my neighbor so many years ago. When I showed up at her gate (unannounced after a decade), she wasn't surprised at all, and acted like I was right on time. She is a testament to prayer and clean living.  This woman means SO much to me, seeing her again brought me to tears.
Laughing with old friends is the best laughter.
After all the visiting, we jumped head long into preparations for a pearl lecture and trunk show at the Circle of Love in District One, HCMC.
We were prepped for the TV cameras and thirty reporters who showed up for the show!
It was a great time, the shop was gorgeous and the reporters asked really great questions.
Click here for an article in Vietnamese about our visit to Circle of Love.
We spoke mostly about Japan Kasumi pearls. We discussed the history, integrity with which they are farmed and the value of these dear fresh water pearls from Japan.
It was our pleasure to introduce Japan Kasumi pearls to Vietnam !
Thank you Tam Mavroudis and Circle of Love for the opportunity and hospitality!
Directly following the trunk show, we jumped on another flight to Hong Kong, resumed pearl shopping, processed the shipments and then made sure to get in a bit of clothes shopping. :)
Neither these options ended up coming home with us, but the temptation was real.
A day after landing into the peace and quiet light of California, I headed up to Mendocino County for a family reunion.
This pot of gold was the perfect balance to the hectic pace of big Asian cities.
Unfortunately, the peace and calm of our state didn't last long and now we are deep into the worst fire season in California history.
We are hunkered down in the studio by day and reaching out and caring for our friends and family in need by night.
We as a company will be donating to the victims and evacuees of these fires.
The California fires are only one of the MANY disasters humanity is facing right now.
May we all BE and SEE the helpers right now!
We're home for the next couple of months prepping for our Holiday Sale which will start right around Thanksgiving and we have tonnes of pearl designs up our sleeves!
Cheers, Sarah and the KojimaPearl team
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
baroque, cortez pearls, cultured pearls, Douglas McLaurin, genuine pearls, guaymas, jewelry designer, kojima, kojima pearl, kojima pearls, kojimapearl, mabe pearls, mexican pearls, micro mabe, pearl farming, pearl necklace, pearl news, Pearl-Guide, pearls, pteria sterna, rainbow lipped oyster, rare pearls, Sea of Cortez, Sea of Cortez pearls, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls, travel
Sun Shadows Cortez Pearl Necklace
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
Making this very special piece was a journey.
I chose these micro mabe pearls from the farmers of Sea of Cortez pearls in Guaymas, Mexico one by one.
The Cortez pearl farm is the ONLY saltwater pearl farm in North America...and as you have probably guessed by now...we are in LOVE with their magical colors. Grown in the Pteria sterna oysters in the flourishing and protected waters they are also known as "rainbow lipped oysters"
Micro mabe pearls are appx. 8-9mm in diameter and are hand cut one at a time at the farm on Bacochibampo Bay.
At the center of this 19" long necklace hangs a 2.5" detachable pendant of graduating sizes of mabe pearls with a gigantic gem of 1.5" in length.
We hand set each of these mabe pearls on a sterling silver seat, and each one is bezel set with 14K yellow gold.
The clasp is made of 18K yellow gold and the necklace can be shortened or lengthened as suits your style.
It is a testament to the wide world of pearls to be able to work across a border to create such a stunning piece.
From a sustainable farm in Mexico to the hands of our jeweler here in San Rafael California...this piece took many months to produce.
For more information on Cortez Pearls please see our about the pearls page.
(last photo credit goes to the wonderful Wendy Fairchild)
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
conch pearls, cortez pearls, cultured pearls, Japan Kasumi, kojima pearl, kojima pearls, kojimapearl, pearl earrings, pearl news, pearls, purple pearls, Sea of Cortez pearls, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
After months of travel, I am home for long enough to completely redo our website.
We are all really happy with the finished product!
In the spirit of Spring, we also reorganized our sunny San Rafael studio to enlarge our showroom.
So if you find yourself in the (greatest) Bay Area, email me to make an appointment!
We hope you enjoy the new website, and as always feel free to ask any questions that come to mind.
With warmth from all of us here at Kojimapearl !
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
cultured pearls, elisabeth strack, genuine pearls, jewelry designer, kojimapearl, margaritalogia, pearl news, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls, vietnamese pearls
MARGARITALOGIA by Elisabeth Strack
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
The famed author of PEARLS, the biggest best book on pearls in the world, has just published her first newsletter. I am overjoyed to be able to read what she writes, listen to what she has to say, and call her a friend. Enjoy!
Click the link below the photo to read the entire newsletter!
YOU CAN BUY ELISABETH STRACK’S AMAZING BOOK via Amazon:
I highly recommend it!
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
black pearls, classic pearls, cortez pearls, cultured pearls, Douglas McLaurin, elisabeth strack, Elizabeth Strack, Fuji Voll, genuine pearls, GJX, golden pearls, Hisano Shepherd, japan, japan kasumi, Japanese Hyriopsis shlegelii, Jeremy Shepherd, Jewelmer, jewelry designer, kojima, kojima pearl, kojimapearl, mexican pearls, Mt. Fuji, natural pearls, pacific pearls, pearl necklace, Pearl-Guide, pteria sterna, Quahog pearls, rainbow lipped oyster, rare pearls, ripple pearls, South Sea pearls, Tahitian pearls, tradeshow, travel, Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Tucson Gem Show
ALL THE PEARL NEWS TO DATE
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
Writing this slowly on a lazy Sunday morning here in Kowloon Hong Kong, before the Jewelry show starts tomorrow and the week of pearl shopping takes over my whole attention span. It’s been too long since I have updated this blog. Sometimes the pearl rolls so fast!
The December holiday sale, kept us more than a little busy, our strongest sale yet, with great reviews from online customers near and far… Thank you to all of you who shared the link for our sale with your friends.
January brought with it some much needed downtime and even a little vacation on the gorgeous north coast of California.
In January we were asked to estimate the value of a Quahog pearl for the local ABC station in Rhode Island : here is the link to our 20 seconds of fame!  http://ww.abc6.com/story/24521553/man-finds-pearl-while-eating-quahog  For the record… people who have found natural pearls usually have a fantastic imagination of the millions of dollars they are worth. If you quote a price between $800-$2000… all they hear is $2000! I did really enjoy watching the clip of Robert Morris, he has a great sense of humor.
The weeks leading up to our show in Tucson are always an exciting time. Full of planning and inspiration. We made a lot of news pieces for the show in Tucson, and the show was great. (even busier than last year) Overjoyed to see many old customers and to meet new ones as well. The highlights of the Tucson show for me were: having dinner with my friends of the Pearl-Guide world. Thank you to Jeremy and Hisano for once again hosting an elegant affair. This year the dinner was extra fun because it just so happened I was seated in the middle of a pearl farming information showdown! Jacques Branellec Jr.  of Jewelmer (fabulous golden South Sea pearl farmers from the Philippines … famous for their magnificent colors and quality) and Douglas and Enrique of the Sea of Cortez pearl farm in Guayamas Mexico (Mexico’s only pearl farm, producing incredible gems in the rainbow lipped oyster).  It was a Star Wars style laser battle of highly technical pearl farming biology and techniques… an epic friendly battle between attempting to “outwit” nature and being its adoring martyr. The other pearl luminaries I was honored to be seated with kept a healthy conversation, and the group .. at the behest of Elisabeth Strack spoke openly about having an International Pearl Culture Conference. A meeting similar to that of the Aqua Culture Conference in Hawaii in 1995, where information is freely shared and the event is held in the spirit of unity as opposed to overt advertising.  I am VERY much looking forward to this conference and hope that it will be soon! I always admire Elisabeth in any gathering, she is such a learned person, and an elegant woman with the most amazing listening skills. I aspire to be such a good listener! It was an amazing dinner, I learned more in a couple of hours than I had in years. As always we had a great time on the “Pearl Walk” with Lois Berger and her band of “pearl watchdogs”. I learned about a new technique of inserting a sponge like expanding nucleus into a  pearl oyster and allowing it to soak up the water and stretch the pearl sac, so that the second graft will produce a larger pearl. This method is creating some gigantic Tahitian baroque pearls … They have soft edges and resemble huge fresh water 2nd harvest pearls in shape. I also had the pleasure to chat with Gina Latendresse of American Pearl Company  . I received a great parcel of beautiful natural American fresh water pearls from her that I will be posting on the website in the coming weeks.
With only 9 days between getting home from Tucson and leaving for Asia on a pearl buying trip… I barely had enough time to unpack, get a cold, have a birthday, fill the orders from Tucson, sleep and pack again… but by the grace of pearl fairies everywhere we made the flight! Tokyo is always fun, bright lights, quirky and  polite people,  and fantastic food. On our second day in Japan, we went to see our dear friends, the farmers at Lake Kasumi ga Ura. We spent the day with them, talking about their latest harvest, drinking tea and of course looking at pearls.  Please stay tuned in the coming weeks for the addition of new Japan Kasumi pearls to our website. We had a lovely mini vacation in Japan.  We accompanied Fuji to his childhood home in Miyanoshita Japan. We visited the shop where the original Pacific Pearls store was in the 1950’s. We visited the Fujiya hotel where Fuji and his sister Aloha were frequent visitors at the heated pool as children… and we visited Lake Ashi where Fuji’s father Rudolf was an avid swimmer. We spent a wonderful time at a hot springs in Hakone … with a view of Mt. Fuji from the pools! WOW what a magical experience, to sit in a natural hot spring with snow on the ground and Mt. Fuji in the distance. We were very lucky to have this view despite the winter weather.
All of this leads up to being in Hong Kong , my home away from home. Looking out at the view of the Central sky line and waiting waiting waiting for the show to open tomorrow. I will spend the afternoon on Mui Wo with my old friend… saving money by NOT shopping for clothes
With thanks and the promise to post more photos of pearls soon. Sincerely, Sarah
Stay tuned for our upcoming sale! If you haven’t done so already please sign up for the newsletter to receive the coupon code before it’s posted elsewhere.
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
black, black pearls, classic pearls, cultured pearls, Hong Kong, japan kasumi, japanese, Japanese Hyriopsis shlegelii, jewelry designer, kasumi ga ura, kasumi pearls, kasumiga, keshi, kojima, kojima pearl, kojima pearls, kojimapearl, lake kasumi, pearl news, pearl ring, pearl rings, pearls, pink pearls, purple pearls, quality, sorting, sustainable fashion, sustainable pearls, travel, weird pearls, white pearls
Written by Sarah Canizzaro
Well my pearl hunting trip to Japan and Hong Kong isn’t quite over yet as I’m writing this from an airport layover but what a perfect time to show you all some photos of my adventures and give you an idea of what putting pearls in your hands entails.
Our 60 hours in Japan went by so quickly that I can barely remember it now.. But we did have a great soba noodle meeting with the farmers from Lake Kasumi ga Ura (Japan’s ONLY fresh water pearl production). There was a lot of giggling as per usual and of course lots of talk of the current state if the fresh water pearl market. These guys are true gems and it is our honor to carry their magical pearls.. Gifts from “the body of water beyond the mist”. On this occasion I was able to purchase a lot of Kasumi Keshi pearls! They are not big, most of them are not perfect.. And I know that the look will not appeal to most… But for those of you who are avid pearl collectors and understand the rarity of a strand (or rope) of natural color Japan Kasumi Keshi .. Then please find the sneak peek photos below .. I spent ALL day on Sunday painstakingly sorting these into quality and color mix pieces.. ( and for anyone who wonders if these are Chinese pearls.. Rest assured I could think of a thousand other things to do with my entire Sunday.
These are guaranteed Keshi pearls from Japan’s Lake Kasumi ga Ura… And what you see in the stringing board is the collection of one farmer over a decade!
When we landed in Hong Kong … This was the forecast.
And this was the view from the ferry coming home from visiting a friend in an outlying island.
So we splished and splashed from one office to the next trying to see as many pearls as we could before the Hong Kong show started. Most of my days were spent like this.. Making pairs and sorting through thousands upon thousands of pearls to find the most beautiful and unusual ones I could.
Fujis sister Aloha was in town from Bangkok and it was a joy to accompany her to the Hong Kong show as she has been in the pearl business for her entire life and is also a GREAT designer… So fun to have shopping buddies and teachers. It had been so long since i last went to the Hong Kong Jewelry show, I had forgotten how much fun it is! Here is a photo of her wearing our simple drop earrings , so complimentary with her elegant purple blouse!
The weather cleared just before the show began and these are photos from the roof of our building in Tsim Sha Tsui.
My favorite place to escape the hustle and bustle of a city with 7 million people!
The show was fantastic! I really enjoyed seeing so many old and new friends and shopping for pearls and other jewels for three long days!
Here are JUST A FEW of my favorite finds. I will of course post them all on the website little by little upon returning home.
AND as an added bonus.. Whilst I was away.. our team at home produced some very tasty pearl rings in our studio in downtown San Rafael.
These are simply warming my heart right now!
So the time has come to board the plane and say goodbye to the balmy days of Asia for a few months..
Thank you all for supporting what I do.. there is magic in it all.
Pearls By The Bay Aug 22, 2019
JUNE IS PEARL MONTH!! Jun 04, 2019
Watch the trailer for Power of Pearl, a documentary about sustainable pearl farming in the Philippines May 29, 2019