Paspaley marks 75th year of founding with first ever pearl auction in Dubai

Paspaley, the pearling pioneer renowned for the most beautiful pearls in the world, recently conducted its first ever auction in the Middle East during the Dubai Pearl Auction event at Jumeirah Lake Towers organised by the Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre. This auction was all the more memorable as it marked the 75^th anniversary of Paspaley’s founding.

 A pearl auction is a deeply engrossing and interesting event to observe. The sound of loose pearls being moved around in trays can be heard across the hall as leading experts from the world’s most acclaimed and renowned jewellery brands painstakingly study each of these sumptuous gems from the sea and put in their bids for the most prized among them in closed boxes. This auction was conducted over a hectic two-day course with several bidders sitting from morning to noon studying pearls of their interest. 

Paspaley pearls showcased at the event included its peerless South Sea pearl strands, loose pearls and rare one-off pearls. Hailed as the most beautiful and coveted pearls in the world, Paspaley pearls are carefully nurtured under strictly monitored conditions at its famous pearl farms in Australia. 

On this occasion, we got a chance to speak to James Paspaley, Executive Director Paspaley Pearls Group, to know more about the brand’s participation in the auction and what it signified for the region. “This is our first major auction in the Middle East and we are overwhelmed with the response so far. Usually, we conduct such auctions at least four to five times on yearly basis across the globe, this year Dubai was our very first stop. There are many reasons behind this decision: Firstly the country has a rich pearling history and Dubai being at the cross roads, it provides easy access to both European and Asian traders alike. The government too imposes minimal restrictions on the import and export of pearls making it an attractive destination for people   associated with this industry,” Mr James Paspaley said. 

He added it was indeed a proud moment for Paspaley which completes 75 years of success in the pearling industry and attributed this to the brand’s rigorous quality controls and a never ending pursuit of the finest. “The minimum time taken for a pearl to form is two years, throughout which the shell is under strict scrutiny and all procedures and processes are carefully monitored in order to produce the best pearl. Pearling is a high-risk industry so quality control is very essential,” he added. 

Paspaley is not only a retail brand but is also a wholesaler of pearls. Top quality and consistency of production makes Paspaley the producer of South Sea pearls of the highest volume in the world. The brand has around 20 farms stretching between North East Darwin and Western Australia. The key factors for choosing those particular farms include availability of the shells, as these animals are found only in certain areas of the sea, weather conditions – preferably areas protected from cyclone and a pristine environment   free from pollution and tidal flow. 

He concluded: “We have managed to stay ahead of the competition due to the fact that we have been in the industry of natural pearling from 1930s and have given a lot of importance to the quality of our production and invested in all aspects of the pearling industry.”