Happy New Year 2012!

Happy New Year 2012!
We are just back to office today!

Personally, I spent good time with my family during the vacation.

Japanese Akoya new crop auction has been started.  The quality are almost same as last year or little bit better.  The quantities of good quality are less than last year.
So the prises are strong in good quality, particularly 8, 9mm.

Demand of good quality are strong in domestic and oversea market.  So the problem would be shortage in good quality for this year.

We have to keep watching the situation.

Winter vacation

Our office will be closed Dec. 29 to Jan. 4 for our winter vacation.
We will be back on Jan 5.

2011 was tough year for pearl business.  We had Big earthquake and Tsunami.  Japanese yen has been too strong against US dollar & Euro.
We hope the situation would be better for nest year.

Have a happy new year 2012!

South Sea Pearl auction in Kobe

South Sea Pearl auction was held in Kobe last week and I was attending it.
Most of buyers were Japanese pearl manufactures including big companies as MIKIMOTO.

First day is mainly South Sea Pearls, second day is Tahitian black pearls and third day is commercial quality.
Most of pearls were for material of necklace.

Price of top quality were very strong in South Sea Pearls and Black Pearls.
Recently sales of Japanese market is getting recover.  Japanese people haven't spent money after earthquake in North part of Japan, however sales of high quality Jewelry is good in Department store in Tokyo area now.
Some Japanese are tired to be "Jishuku" which don't spend money.
This is one of the reason of result of prices.

Japanese Yen has been strong against US$ & Euro, so these price of high quality pearls are very difficult to export for oversea countries.

Prices of medium to low quality were stable.  Because price of volume zone in the market is limited.

Summer vacation

Our office will be closed August 12 to 16 for summer vacation.
Jewelry industry in Japan has been slow after earthquake in North part of Japan.
Also weak US$ & Euro against Japanese Yen make our export business difficult.
I hope exchange rate would be better before Christmas season.

Internatioanl Jewelry Fair in Kobe 2011

Internatinal Jewelry Fair in Kobe 2011 was held May 11 to 13th and I visited last day.
Jewelry industires in Japan didn't expect many visitiers this time, because of earthquake and Tunami in North part of Japan.
Nucler power stations in fukushima are still in troubles, so many overssea buyers are afraid to visit Japan.

However there are some oversea buyers and some Chinese buyers bought top quality of pearls as Japanese Akoya Pearls strands, Golden South Sea Pearls.

I feel most of exhibiter carry same merchandises and it is not easy to fined character of company.
Wholesalers want to handle popular items, so everybody carry same goods.
It's not easy to purchase of stock for visiters, because most of exhibiter handle same type of merchandises.

Cash management of Japanese manufactures has been tight, so it is hard time to make oridinal merchandises for them.

KOBE PRECIOUS PAERL & CO., LTD.
http://pearl.kobepp.com/

Golden Week - Japanese spring vacation

Our office will be closed April 29th to May 1st, May 3rd to May 5th for Japanese national holidays.
Many Japanese companies are going to close April 29th to May 8th for 10days.
It's like Japanese spring vacation.

Usually many Japanese take trip to sightseeing, spa, oversea in this time.
However there are not so many tourists this year, because of the earthquake. 

Thank you very much! We are Okay!

Major Earthquake & Tsunami hit North part of Japan on March 11th.
Probably over 10,000 people dead and injured in North part of Japan and it's going to take long long time to recover.
Also nuclear plans get in trouble now and this is big problem for North part of Japan.

We got many e-mail and Fax from over sea, which thank you very much!
Fortunately our company "Kobe" are located west side of Japan.
So we are Okay this time so far.

North part of Japanese are "Gaman tsuyoi" which is strong for patient, because they are living in long winter.
So they are tough and I believe that they can go though this hard time.

Also we went through Big earthquake in Kobe and we will help North part of Japan by our experience.

It's going to be long way to recover and it's just started.
We can do it!