PEARLS ARE HIGH on fashion accessory lists this year, with innovative new designs and styles appealing to a broad cross-section of buyers and consumers.
A recent trend has been to combine pearls with coloured gemstones and a variety of unusual jewellery materials such as leather, silk and even plastic. Pearls are becoming a must for younger consumers, who expect trendy designs.
Classic strands of white pearls nevertheless remain a perennial favourite, although multicoloured pearls appear to be gaining momentum.
'There is a greater range of pearls today than 10 to 20 years ago - more colours, different shapes, more sizes and every possible price range. Jewellery is not seen any more as an investment. It's more of a fashion statement,' said Hanspeter Pieth, managing director of Golay Buchel & Co (HK), which specialises in pearls.
For an idea of how wide the price spectrum was, he said prices could start at as little as $100 for a strand of Chinese freshwater pearls and rise to $1 million for a necklace of South Sea pearls.
Golay is showing pearl necklaces which have a detachable feature, allowing several sections to be added or removed to lengthen or shorten the necklace. The pearls are strung on secure steel wire, instead of the usual nylon thread.
