Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Northern atolls and buying Black Pearls there Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Cook Islands
jvainio 02:38 UTC 05 Jul 2009 | I think we'll be headed for Aitutaki in the near future, and when the cargo boat to the northern atolls is about to leave, go to Rarotonga and board the ship. There is apparently a great deal of black pearl production in some of the northern atolls. I'd maybe like to buy a few, depending on the price. I'd like to give one to my mother as a souvenir, and maybe sell a few to some jewellers. Can I make any money out of this? Meaning if the pearls are relatively cheap there - I could get a good price back home in Finland (the most expensive EU country, not counting non-euro-countries)... Has anyone bought these pearls from the northern atolls - what was the price and do you think my plan could work? Or if anyone has ever bought these black pearls from anywhere, any input would be appreciated! -J PS: And how do I identify a good quality black pearl from a not-good one? |
islandboi321 00:56 UTC 06 Jul 2009 | When I was in Thailand I had the opportunity to purchase a good many rubies and sapphires at a really good price from a vendor that one of the tuk tuk drivers took me to as part a great tour I had with him. I got them back to Canada and made almost 400% on them... I paid for my next 2 trips to Southeast asia with the proceeds. The same will be said for pearls... You will make a good deal of money. Make sure you ask to see their best quality and it is IMPAIRATIVE that you also tell them these are for resale. Hope this helps. | 1
drgreenthumb 19:58 UTC 06 Jul 2009 | j, it is definitely way much cheaper to buy black pearls from the pearl farms directly (manihiki as oposed to raro or tuamotus rather than bora bora). whether you can make money? im not sure how demand is black pearl in Finland BUT i was just given by some locals. | 2
papamike 16:37 UTC 09 Jul 2009 | I would bw a little hesitant to try and purchase black pearls for resale if you do not have quite a bit of knowledge as to quality or have a local you can trust to steer you in the right direction. I visited both Manihiki and Penhryn and at the time of year (February) that I visited there were very few pearls in circulation. Not sure when they harvest, but most of the pearls were shipped to Rarotonga when I was there. You may want to check with jewelers in Finland and find out what they are likely to purchase and approximate value. Good luck. If you take the cargo boat from Rarotonga, the ship will remain on those islands for only a day or two to unload cargo, you will have a limited time on the island and will need to work fast to purchase pearls before your boat leaves. It may be two months before the ship returns, so make sure you are not left behind. Papa Mike | 3
raro 01:27 UTC 13 Jul 2009 | Cheap black pearls can cost only US$10, but no resale value in Finland, I would guess. Get the very round ones, maybe with one or two "pits" (sand spots) on them, get them at least 10mm diameter, 12 mm is better. These may cost US$30-100, or more, depending on quality. Greenish-black is good, and purple-black is even rarer. I got a dozen from locals on a one-week trip, relatives sold them in Florida and we ech made a few hundred $$. But you won't get rich on them, unless they are well-known in Finland. If you are on the boat, you'll only be there probably 24 hrs, as Mike said. Finds some Manihikians while on RAR to contact there relatives on Manihiki, before you go, and they can meet you when the boat comes in and show you what they have. | 4
jvainio 03:13 UTC 13 Jul 2009 | I thought one can get off the boat, and there is like one accommodation on both islands? Soa's Guesthouse on Penrhyn and Manihiki Lagoon Villas on Manihiki? I would want to spend time on the islands - e.g. island hop whenever the boat comes... Anyhow, thanks for the info, it seems I have to study the demand in Finland, if there is even any! -J | 5
lkortlang 11:00 UTC 07 Aug 2009 | re: thailand and making 400% profit. This is a well known scam. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_gem_scam | 6
5waldos 05:12 UTC 08 Aug 2009 | Unfortunately, you have to not become attached to your treasures. i still have 3 gold necklaces from the souks in Turkey that I bought to bring home and sell to pay for my trip. I bought what I loved, and then loved them too much to sell them. | 7
harrychorpita 05:41 UTC 08 Aug 2009 | " re: thailand and making 400% profit....This is a well known scam. " re: the person who posted that is well known for being less than honest. | 8