Many people ask me how The Pearl Girls and our pearl travels began. It began, quite simply with a journey. A journey through Asia in 2006, to be exact, when my husband and I were waiting on his green card that would allow him to leave Canada and join me in the U.S.A. We went on a splendid four month trip through Vietnam, China, Hong Kong and India.
It was on this trip that I discovered gorgeous cultured pearls in exotic locations. I realized that these pearls represented everything I love about life: beautiful places, a sense of adventure, meaning and significance and a kinship with the ones we love. I think the last piece was key for me. I bought pearls on this trip but, up until this point, the only pearls I had were given to me by my Dad when I was eight years old. These pearls had always stood as a symbol of his love for me.
So, here I was in Asia among these gorgeous pearls and I just started buying them. I bought pearls for myself, for my mom, my sisters, aunts and even for my friends at the local Feed and Seed store. It seemed that many, many women were interested in these gorgeous gems.
I needed more, though. So, I returned to the U.S. and attended the Gemological Institute of American where I received my Graduate Pearls Diploma. I returned to China six times in 2007 to gain more experience and meet more contacts.
Since then, I have traveled through remote Chinese pearl farms and markets and through gorgeous South Sea Pearl farms in The Philippines. I have met with pearl farmers and divers of Tahitian Black pearls in French Polynesia. I have traveled through Japan and walked in the path of Mikimoto and other great Japanese pearlers. I have even investigated pearls here in U.S. waters. I have met one of the only men who has tried culturing pearls in the U.S. and I have many friends among the U.S. pearl divers in the Tennessee River. My mission is to continue traveling the world searching for gorgeous cultured pearls so everyone can experience a bit of the adventure, intrigue and passion of these exotic, hand-selected treasures.
In 2014, I launched a Pearl Adventure series to offer the truly adventurous a chance to come with me to exotic pearl farms! Our inaugural trip was such a blast that we have added even more trips!
The Pearl Girls has become the jewelry destination for people who truly care about where their pearls come from and who their pearls are going to. A lot of our customers are celebrating themselves and the ones they love. And we love celebrating with them. We all deserve the adventure, beauty, meaning and significance of The Pearl Girls pearls.
India
I am a modern day treasure hunter who travels the world for gorgeous pearls and amazing adventures. I own a pearl jewelry and jewelry repair business, ThePearlGirls.com, with a cute retail store in Athens, GA. I also have a Pearl Travel business and travel blog at TheWorldofPearl.com.
