Kamoka Pearls - The riches of the sea

[Greg Valerio]

Kamoka Pearls – The riches of the sea.

The Pearl farm at sunset

Established in 1991 Kamoka Pearls is built on two basic principles. Ecological and social responsibility. It was clear to me just talking with Josh at the Tuscon Gem Fair this year that he and the team he works
with are very dedicated not just to the business, but to the whole
story of how the pearls are farmed, harvested, their quality and sales
strategy. Their philosophy is embedded into the very fabric of the
operation and I could sense the reverence that was present in the soul
of the idea. As the following quote from their website highlights:

“We are essentially farming wild animals in a wild environment, and our goal is to do it respectfully and sustainably. We work towards this both in the way we live and in the way we work”.

Not including myself we are boiled down to five people now on the farm. They are definitely a small operation whereas they used to be more medium-sized operation before the cheap pearl farms started under
cutting the traditional approaches to pearl farming.

Fish cleaning the Oysters, the beautiful symmetry created by Kamoka

The way they clean their oysters is pretty unique. They are put them in zones where the fish populations are strong and the fish nibble off the fouling from the oysters. What’s fascinating about that is that
there are a million things that grow on oysters from anemones, corals to
sea mats and basically there is a fish species that corresponds with
every kind of fouling. The end result of this cleaning is that it
strengthens the entire fish populations.

“A fair trade pearl should come from a production that looks after it’s people and the environment it occupies. A fair trade pearl should also be paid for what it is worth. I would hope that it would allow
local communities to make a living” said Josh in a recent interview
with Marc Choyt.

Stunning Pearls, the only option for responsible jewellery.

For more information on how to buy Kamoka Pearls please email Josh Humbert ([e-mail]) and a visit to their websitePearls" href="http://www.kamokapearls.com/" target="_self""> Kam....

They currently have a purchase minimum of USD$2,000 and sell only wholesale for now.

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