Pearl Vendor Advice - for a trip to Kauai

[blondie~]

I'll be visiting the island in a little while. I'm wondering if you pearl lovers have any good advice where to seek out quality natural coloured pearls? Thank you

 

[HHPmom]

There are a few boutiques on Kauai. North shore near Kilauea shopping center there is one near Kilauea Bakery called Jewels of the Lotus or something like that. Princeville shopping center near Foodland there was one owned by Valerie Van Balen next to Island Soap & Co. She also has a boutique inside the St. Regis in Princeville. Another one is Black Pearl near Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant on the way to Hanalei town. There is another one in Ching Young Village (Hanalei town) next to Big Save the grocery store, I forget the name. Across the street next to BarAcuda restaurant is Jewel of Paradise who carries Mark Kane's designs. Pendants at Jewel of Paradise are considerably affordable and some pieces are of exceptional luster and colors that you don't see normally carried by online vendors. There are some stalls scattered throughout the islands in shopping strips like the Coconut Marketplace in Kapaa and south shore like Poipu shopping center. You'll see some at the stalls near Spouting Horn in Poipu too. There is a shop near Gaylord restaurant in the 2nd floor. Another one inside the Marriott in Lihue (the name escapes me right now but they also have an independent location inside Coconut Marketplace). Most of these shops are usually more expensive than online vendors such as Pearl Paradise, Pearls of Joy, etc. But most or some of the pieces are on more extravagant or different gold findings that are not carried by online pearl vendors, or the colors are special.

If you fly to Oahu and stay there a night or two, there are lots of shops with pearls. Check out Margo La Perle de Tahiti in Waikiki Shopping Plaze on 2nd floor. More pearl shops on Oahu for sure.

I am talking about natural colored pearls, but are cultured, such as Tahitian Black pearls, and freshwater pearls, NOT naturally-formed pearls without man's assistance.

 

[blondie~]

Wow. Thank you for your quick reply.
Really good information .

I'm looking for akoya, Tahitian, south sea pearls. I was there in 2010 and shopped the south shore. This time I'll be up at Princeville too and wonder what is up there. I'm going to take a different approach with pearl shopping this time. I think I'll take some of my Tahitians with me. I should've done this last time because I need to see pearls for sale side by side with my present ones so to assess lustre, color, etc. I'm kind of on the look out for a very large single pearl (pendant). I've wanted an upgrade, saw one last time I was there, so I'm hoping ...

I love Kauai. The whole place is so beautiful, peaceful. I even get a kick out of the chickens and roosters in the mornings.

 

[HHPmom]

I am glad I was able to help. The shop inside Marriott Lihue is Grande's Gem. They have another location in Kilohana Plantation (where Gaylord's restaurant is located). Grande's is on 2nd floor. There are more locations https://www.grandesgemshawaii.com/locations.html . I am assuming the Princeville location is the where Majestic Gems Kauai (Valerie Van Balen's store which has moved to St. Regis) was next to Island Soap. Most shops have Tahitian and South Sea. Jewels of the Lotus in Kilauea has some FW but is way overpriced IMO.

I just remember the one next to Big Save in Ching Young Village is called Savage Pearls.

Kauai is our favorite island. We've been there multiple times and barely scratched the surface of the hiking trails. Have fun on Kauai.

 

[soxfan]

I eloped to Kauai. I can't wait to go back one day. It was truly paradise. We spent most of our time snorkeling off of the little beach near the Beach House restaurant in Poipu. I can't remember where it was, but there was a little shopping center that sold pearls and other jewelry- I bought a Niihau shell necklace. I love it!