#75047 - 07/22/08 09:28 AM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Jake]
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YosemiteGirl2
Member
Registered: 09/17/07
Posts: 373
Loc: California
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We were at Manihi in December and the wind was perfect -- enough so we didn't want a/c. We were in an OWB, don't know how far the wind carries inland before it dies. One thing I found weird about Manihi is that it's supposedly the major center for pearl farming, but the hotel restricts you to their boutique (or, if you're lucky, the farm the boutique is supplied by). We thought we'd have a lot more choice and were disappointed. Rangiroa is better for pearls, IMHO.
I have never been to Maupiti (in the Society islands), but people say it's really authentic and lovely (but definitely all family pensions). If you need another island choice for some reason, that might be one to consider.
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#75071 - 07/23/08 03:12 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: YosemiteGirl2]
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ryo-oh-ki
Member
Registered: 01/27/08
Posts: 109
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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I'm guessing the wind situation is pretty much the same among all of the atolls. Windy has heck in the over waters. Not bad in the beach bundalows. And, further inland, almost not existent among the garden bundalows.
(Please correct me if I'm wrong) In Manihi, there are two gift shops located along the "main" road between the airport terminal, not to be confused with the boarding area hut, and the resort. One of the two shops sells pearls. That was two years, so both business could have folded up, changed ownership, etc.
Also, according to the info I got on the pearl farm tour. All pearls farmed in Manihi, must be shipped to Tahiti for certification before it can be put on market. It is illegal to sell pearls right off the farm. Thus "black market" pearls. And before for any pearl departs the country. It must have a certificate of authentication. Anyways the end result is that you would spend the same if not more on pearls in Manihi vs. a dealer Tahiti. Can anyone confirm this? There's probably more info about this on another thread.
Purchasing or not purchasing. You should still visit to the Manihi resort pearl shop. The lady who runs the shop is a wealth of knowledge, and she is the guide for the pearl farm excursion.
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#75081 - 07/23/08 08:14 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Jake]
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Justine2
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/12/07
Posts: 1911
Loc: Minneapolis, MN
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The wind in Manihi was stronger than Bora- the OWB doors face into the wind. Plus there isn't anything taller than a palm of significance for 500+ miles to stop the wind. Given that the wind comes out of Antarctica and sweeps north, I would say that when it's less windy there would be the time to go. Personally, I appreciated the constant breeze. It kept it from being oppressively hot. The wind was nice and warm so I could sit on the deck soaking wet and not get cold, a rare treat indeed.
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#75091 - 07/24/08 12:52 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Justine2]
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YosemiteGirl2
Member
Registered: 09/17/07
Posts: 373
Loc: California
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ryo-oh-ki,
I'm not sure about the whole "pearls have to go to Tahiti to be certified" thing -- I truly know nothing about it at all. What I do know is that I got a little certificate about my pearls from the Gaugin store on Rangi -- basically saying the size/shape/grade. Don't know if that's the certificate you are talking about or not -- I've just always trusted that the Kia Ora would only send us to a reputatble dealer. I've purchased pearls from them several times.
The only other pearls I got were from the little boutique in the airport, which came with a similarly tiny (folded card) certificate. Kathy (at the hotel shop in Manihi) does know a ton about pearls and is a big help.
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#75092 - 07/24/08 12:53 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: YosemiteGirl2]
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YosemiteGirl2
Member
Registered: 09/17/07
Posts: 373
Loc: California
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PS: My mom bought a beautiful pendant from Kathy on Manihi. I'll ask her what kind of certificate she got, if you want.
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#75100 - 07/24/08 04:01 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: YosemiteGirl2]
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Justine2
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/12/07
Posts: 1911
Loc: Minneapolis, MN
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The pearls farmed in FP are certified by the government for quality control- this it the certificate you'll get when you buy a pearl. The gov't x-rays all of the pearls to make sure that the nacre is of a certain thickness around the entire pearl, so it has less of a chance of chipping and revealing the bead the pearl formed around. They are actually x-rayed by the government prior to sorting by the farm. Any that don't meet the standards are crushed. So when you buy from the farm, the pearl has already been to Papeete and back.
Black pearls farmed elsewhere don't go to Tahiti to be certified. Many of the "Tahitian" pearls on the market were actually farmed elsewhere, using the same variety of oyster. As such, there isn't likely the same quality control put into the product. There isn't any incentive to protect the product.
I bought all of mine from Catherine on Manihi- she's wonderful.
The certificate can also be used to get the VAT tax back if you also have the receipt.
Edited by Justine2 (07/24/08 04:05 PM)
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#75238 - 07/29/08 02:01 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Justine2]
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graue
Junior Member
Registered: 07/27/08
Posts: 13
Loc: mercer island, wa
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Justine2, what do you think a nice peacock, or blue pearl should cost. Here in Seattle a lovely set of earrings $800.Thanks linda
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#75252 - 07/29/08 09:16 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: graue]
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Poehere
Expert Advisor
Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 2362
Loc: FP
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small correction here if allowed, the certificates are made up by the pearl sellers themselves, there does not exist an FP government certificate for pearls. Only requirements by law now are a minimum layer of nacre of 0,8 mm anyone trying to sell less than the minimum quality is bound to lose the licence which is needed to sell pearls. Government x-raying is suposed to happen all the time... reality is slightly different
Duty free is allowed on set pearls only and purchase has to be above 5000 cfp, the seller has to supply the buyer with a special form in 3 copies, correctly filled out (tax number of company etc) with which you can reclaim the tax. form has to be stamped at the airport in faa'a by a custom agent, 1 copy will be kept by them, 1 has to go back to the seller (they usually give an self adressed stamped envelop for that so you can mail it right at the airport) and 1 copy for you
Some stores sell duty free but will ask for a guarantee of the tax amount by printing a manual credit card print which will be ripped up once they receive the stamped copy of the tax form
_________________________
* with sunshine *
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#75280 - 07/30/08 03:30 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Poehere]
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YosemiteGirl2
Member
Registered: 09/17/07
Posts: 373
Loc: California
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Graue,
Be careful that what you are buying are truly Tahitian pearls. Some jewelers sell dyed cultured pearls. They can be quite pretty but cost a lot less. Other species also produce pretty pastels but should cost a lot less. If the price seems to good to be true be wary (unless all you care about is how they look).
Without knowing the "grade" or size of the pearl, it's hard to know if $800 is a reasonable cost. Na Hoku (a chain based in Hawaii) seems to have genuine Tahitian pearls for sale. If you hvae one in Seattle, you could stop in there, see what they have for sale, then do a cost comparison with the store offering the $800 pearls.
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#75398 - 08/03/08 07:48 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: YosemiteGirl2]
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Justine2
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/12/07
Posts: 1911
Loc: Minneapolis, MN
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Poehere- no worries! Catherine did fill ours out at purchase.
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