The world really could be your oyster

THERE IS A Chinese proverb: 'Men grow old, pearls grow yellow, there is no cure for it' - but that's not necessarily true if you invest in pearls of the right quality.

If you want advice on what makes a good pearl, turn to one of the local experts in trading, design or jewellery manufacturing who have made Hong Kong's pearl industry among the world's most important.

Hong Kong ranks as the largest manufacturer and supplier of jewellery made from freshwater and Chinese Akoya pearls. Respectively, 85 per cent and almost 90 per cent of the world market in those pearls was handled through Hong Kong, said Sonny Hung, assistant to the chairman of Man Sang Jewellery, one of the largest local makers.

'We have an excellent source of supply in China. We can rely on quality products for the manufacturing process, which is why Hong Kong's pearl industry won't decline,' said Mr Hung.

Another reason for the strength of the sector is that 90 per cent of the more valuable black Tahitian pearls pass through Asia. Imports of these to Hong Kong rose in value by 13.1 per cent in 2003/04, making the city second in importance only to Japan.

Gains in quantity were up slightly, with a total of 2.83 million grams traded last year. The average price per gram was up to US$8.08 from US$7.16, according to a report in Jewellery News Asia.

Steady and accessible supplies have resulted in benefits for wholesalers and consumers.

Elissa Cohen, the owner of Elissa Cohen Jewellery, said: 'Pearls are as popular as ever, but not everyone is spending money on the expensive items.

'Although the large South Sea pearls are comparatively expensive, they are continuing to sell well, but Tahitian black pearls have gone down in price from when I started in this business.'

Those considering a long-term career in the industry should have appropriate formal qualifications. This might be a degree in agriculture or oceanography and, ideally, should include course work or practical experience in the business.

Most job opportunities related to pearl cultivation are found on the mainland, where many oyster farms are located.

Mr Hung said: 'Hong Kong people can't really expect to go into cultivation because we don't have those programmes; it's that simple.'

Once pearls have been cultivated, they must then be processed. This stage requires the expertise of graduates trained in chemistry and Man Sang's policy is to hire people from mainland universities.

'Hong Kong is not a training ground for the type of people we need, so we find good chemists from institutions in China, like Peking University,' said Mr Hung.

However, when it comes to trading, sales, retail, design and accounting, there are openings in the pearl industry for Hong Kong-based employees.

For retail and wholesale positions, university graduates are hired and complete one or two years of on-the-job training before taking on management responsibilities.

'You have to know the products, since every market has its own industry standards. You must also know how to distribute, price the product, and be able to sell to target markets,' said Mr Hung. 'When teaching about the business, we encourage a mentor-student relationship.'

For designers, the expectations and the path are slightly different. They will usually have studied at a technical college and will come to the job with a more solid understanding of what is required in the day-to-day role.

'In designing, recruits will have some practical knowledge already. We simply need to fine-tune their designs to make them more marketable,' said Mr Hung.

Accounting staff are generally qualified in Hong Kong or the United States and are expected to become familiar with any regulations governing the industry after joining the company.

'To turn a job into a career, people should have a passion for their chosen industry,' said Mr Hung. 'A shark can't stop, it has to keep moving forward. It's the same in the pearl industry because you have to keep improving. To be successful, you have to love jewellery and the overall business, but you must also be patient because there are no shortcuts.'

Mr Hung said Hong Kong would gradually move towards specialising in Tahitian and South Sea pearls, while the manufacturing of jewellery made with freshwater pearls would be concentrated on the mainland.

gem compendium

White South Sea - Cultivated by white-lipped oysters, mainly white, also natural colours like golden yellow, from Australia

Black South Sea - Cultivated by black-lipped oysters, black, from French Tahitian Islands, also called Tahitian pearls

Sea water - Cultivated by Akoya oysters, mainly white, from the South China Sea or Sea of Japan

Freshwater - Cultivated by triangle oysters, from rivers in eastern China and the Yangtze River

Source: Hong Kong Pearl Association website