New York, NY – Oct. 31, 2019. The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) has announced the international winners of its 10th Annual International Pearl Design Competition (IPDC).
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New York, NY – Oct. 31, 2019. The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) has announced the U.S. winners of its 10th Annual International Pearl Design Competition (IPDC).
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New York, NY – Oct. 31, 2019. The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) has announced the U.S. and international winners of its 10th Annual International Pearl Design Competition (IPDC).
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New York City. Oct. 17, 2019. The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) announces the finalists in the U.S. division of the 10th Annual International Pearl Design Competition (IPDC). Thirty-eight submissions were narrowed down to eighteen finalists after judges viewed images of all entries. The judges are Jean Francois Bibet, workshop and production director at Cartier; Nancy Schuring, owner of Devon Fine Jewelry (whose store will show and offer for sale the winning entries and the finalists of Schuring’s choice); Michelle Graff, editor in chief of NationalJeweler.com; and Hector Hassey, jewelry designer of his own same-name firm.
Finalists in the U.S. division are as follows. Winners will be announced on Thursday, Oct. 31, following a day of judging live pieces.
Chrysanthemum Fold Black Pearl earrings by Karin Jacobson
Pearl Empress earrings by Deborah Meyers of Deborah Meyers Experience
Black Diamond and Pearl earrings by Timo Krapf of TBK Jewelry
Polka Dots cuff by Alishan Halebian of Alishan
Glamorous Keshi Swing earrings by Dilly Kirby of Elizabeth Blair Fine Pearls
Diana’s Love earrings by Alexis Mazza of LexiMazz Designs
Mandala ring by Paul Klecka of Paul Klecka Inspired Design
Esther ring by Polly Baumgartner
Lydia Lighthouse Beacon ring by Lika Behar of Lika Behar Jewelry
Chimera pendant necklace by Brenda Smith of Brenda Smith Jewelry
Golden pearl strand with Wavy O interchangeable clasp by Llyn Strong of Llyn Strong Jewelry
The Kiss of the Spider Woman necklace by Martina Buck of Haute Metal
Power of Pearl pendant by Kelly Charveaux of Scottsdale Bead Supply and Charveaux
South Sea Pearl Paisley ring by Assael
South Sea Pearl Fan earrings by Assael
Ocean Diva necklace by Jennifer Pusenkoff of Jen
Rockin' Love ring by Jennifer Pusenkoff of Jen
Rockin' Dandy lapel pin by Jennifer Pusenkoff of Jen
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CPAA is a nonprofit founded in 1957. The group comprises the finest manufacturers, wholesalers, dealers, and suppliers of cultured pearls in the United States, and its goals are to improve retail marketability of pearls and cultivate demand among consumers. Through promotion, education, public relations, and unwavering commitment to the category, CPAA aims to inspire an authentic passion for all cultured pearl varieties. For more information about becoming a certified pearl expert, please visit PearlsAsOne.org. To learn more about the Cultured Pearl Association of America, please visit CPAA.org.
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New York City, Sept. 3, 2019. From spring 2018 to now, student signups for the English-language Pearls As One (PAO) course from the Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) have tripled.
The increase is the direct result of financial assistance from the Tahitian Pearl Producer’s Association of French Polynesia (TPPAFP), which has invested significantly to promote the course, encourage student signups, and increase the number of pearl fans nationwide. Since PAO’s inception in 2016, the TPPAFP has invested $350,000 with CPAA, which used the money to promote PAO to the trade on Instagram and Facebook. By year end, another $83,000 will be invested, this time targeting consumers on the same mediums. Signup numbers are exploding; in spring 2018, 20,000 students had taken PAO, and now signups have surpassed 65,000.
“We are averaging 700–1,000 signups per day,” says Jeremy Shepherd, course creator, CPAA treasurer, founder of PearlParadise.com, and co-founder of Pearl-Guide.com. “The engagement is higher than I’ve ever seen.”
“To date, we’ve been able to register around 60,000 users at a cost per acquisition (CPA) of approximately $4,” he explains. “This is 60 percent lower than our goal CPA. Achieving this rate has not been easy. There’s no secret formula other than constant testing and adjusting.
The CPAA’s secret to achieving results like these? Marketing expert and PearlsOfJoy.com founder Kevin Canning, who is also the chair of the CPAA’s marketing committee and co-founder of Pearl-Guide.com. Canning has been involved with e-commerce and online marketing since 2002 and knows some of the biggest challenges for brands are finding the right audiences and knowing when to scale up and down in the most cost-effective way.
Canning and Shepherd aim to exceed 100,000 signups by 2020.
South Sea pearls shot by Ted Morrison
Mike Wilson’s entire staff at Wilson & Son Jewelers in Scarsdale, N.Y., took Pearls As One in 2017, and within a year, pearl jewelry sales had dramatically increased at the 114-year-old store. “My pearl sales tripled,” he says. “And we display all of the certificates of completion in the store. PAO boosted our knowledge and our confidence.”
To join CPAA and take advantage of PAO by way of a special code for your staff to learn for free, reach out to Jeremy@pearlparadise.com.
The PAO Pearl Specialist Certification Course was created in 2016 by Shepherd and CPAA in partnership with the world’s biggest pearl producers. Those groups include: The Tahitian Pearl Producer’s Association of French Polynesia, Jewelmer, the Japan Pearl Exporters’ Association, Paspaley, and Atlas Pearls. PAO brings together the expertise and passion of pearl farmers, retailers, processors, wholesalers, and importers, all with the shared goal of promoting pearls.
PearlsAsOne.org is the most comprehensive pearl education available in the trade. The course is divided into 10 modules and covers topics like the history of the pearl industry, pearl valuation, and current production methods. PAO is available to take in English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Russian, Vietnamese, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese.
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CPAA is a nonprofit founded in 1957. The group comprises the finest manufacturers, wholesalers, dealers, and suppliers of cultured pearls in the United States, and its goals are to improve retail marketability of pearls and cultivate demand among consumers. Through promotion, education, public relations, and unwavering commitment to the category, CPAA aims to inspire an authentic passion for all cultured pearl varieties. For more information about becoming a certified pearl expert, please visit PearlsAsOne.org. To learn more about the Cultured Pearl Association of America, please visit CPAA.org.
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New York City. Aug. 30, 2019. Importers of fine jewelry from China, including loose pearls and pearl jewelry, are subject to increased tariffs of 15 percent as of Sept. 1, according to President Trump and office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The move is part of an ongoing trade war between China and the U.S., so the Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) clarified some details about relevant imports for the benefit of its members.
According to Assistant General Counsel Arthur Tsao of the USTR, Hong Kong is a separate customs territory from China so, in general, increased tariffs do not apply to shipments out of Hong Kong. However, pearls and pearl jewelry made in China cannot simply pass through Hong Kong and escape tariffs if the country of origin of products and manufacturing is China. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) determines when a “substantial transformation” has occurred from one type of product—like a loose pearl—to another, like a finished piece of pearl jewelry. This is where a tariff shift occurs, which CBP defines and enforces.
Documentation at every step of—and for every location in—the manufacturing process is recommended. Import brokers note that CBP wants proof of claims, such as that jewelry manufacturing occurred in Hong Kong though pearls were imported from China. CBP, meanwhile, points out that once pearls are manufactured or set into pearl jewelry in Hong Kong, that is the substantial transformation that changes its tariff number.
Freshwater pearls shot by Ted Morrison
Attorney Peter Klestadt of Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt LLP of New York City specializes in the arena of customs and confirms that CBP will “determine substantial transformation on a case-by-case basis.”
“A substantial transformation takes place when the processing of a material or article results in a new and different article having a distinct name, character, or use,” he adds. “For example, freshwater cultured pearls, produced in China, were substantially transformed when manufactured into jewelry in Thailand. Therefore, freshwater pearl jewelry produced in Hong Kong from pearls originating in China should be a product of Hong Kong, the country in which the processing takes place. In the event that a substantial transformation does not occur in the second country, then the entire article’s value, inclusive of the value-add in the second country, would be subject to the tariff.”
For further assistance about your specific import scenario, email CBP at traderemedy@cbp.dhs.gov or consult Klestadt at 212-973-7728 or PKlestadt@GDLSK.com.
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CPAA is a nonprofit founded in 1957. The group comprises the finest manufacturers, wholesalers, dealers, and suppliers of cultured pearls in the United States, and its goals are to improve retail marketability of pearls and cultivate demand among consumers. Through promotion, education, public relations, and unwavering commitment to the category, CPAA aims to inspire an authentic passion for all cultured pearl varieties. For more information about becoming a certified pearl expert, please visit PearlsAsOne.org. To learn more about the Cultured Pearl Association of America, please visit CPAA.org.
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New York, NY – June 18, 2019.The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) kicks off its 10th Annual International Pearl Design Competition (IPDC) today, complete with an exciting collaboration with a prominent retailer to showcase (and sell!) winning designs.
Continue readingNew York City. May 22, 2019. Are you a buyer heading to Las Vegas next week for the fine-jewelry trade shows?
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New York, NY – Feb. 4, 2018. The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) enlisted Hannah Becker, the renowned illustrator behind @Diamondoodles and a GIA graduate gemologist, to create a whimsical proprietary sketch to drive more interest to the pearl category.
Continue readingTucson, Ariz. Feb. 2, 2019. Heading to Arizona this week for the gem shows? Be sure to check out the pearl seminars happening during the American Gem Trade Association’s GemFair Tucson, Feb. 5–10 at the Tucson Convention Center.
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