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Our Story | The Story of a Hong Kong Brand's Birth and Growth

Company Overview

The Pearl Farm is a diversified Hong Kong-based pearl brand established in 1995/1996 , with its parent company being Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory . The company focuses on the entire pearl industry chain, currently emphasizing education, experience, and sustainable development rather than traditional large-scale retail.

Main business scope :

  • Design and sales of pearl jewelry
  • Pearl jewelry care, repair, stringing, replacement and other services
  • Pearl knowledge education and sharing
  • Offer indoor and outdoor pearl-related experience activities

Current location :

  • Sha Tin Exhibition Centre & Workshop (Room 10, 2/F, Dali Plaza, 18 On Lai Street, Sha Tin, New Territories, by appointment only)
  • The main experiential activities are located in Saigon (Sea Pearl Workshop).
  • Online store: https://www.thepearlfarm.com.hk

Contact number: +852 6828 3906
Email: info@thepearlfarm.com.hk

Brand Origin and Name Origin

The brand name "Fukui" originates from Fukui Prefecture in Japan. This is not due to any pro-Japanese sentiment, but rather has a real historical background:

  • In 1989, due to the global ban on ivory trade, the founder, Mr. Wang Yixiang , transformed his business. Originally engaged in the trade of eyeglass frames, he went to Fukui Prefecture, Japan (then a major center of the global eyewear industry) to start his business. The company was initially named "Fukui Eyewear Co., Ltd."
  • Later, on the advice of Japanese friends, they shifted to the production and supply of pearl nuclei (pearl seeds) and established Fukui Pearl Nuclei Works , which has now become one of the world's largest pearl nuclei producers.
  • Leveraging its direct partnerships with pearl farmers, the company further developed its pearl jewelry retail business and officially became Fukui Pearl .

Development History and Important Milestones

  1. Early stage (1990s)
    • Originally named "Zhenbei Shop," it primarily sold mother-of-pearl handicrafts;
    • They set up stalls in major shopping malls (including Qianse Store, Zhongyi, etc.), and later opened their first retail store;
    • Launch the classic event " Opening the Clam to Find the Pearl " in collaboration with restaurants at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, among others;
    • Turn your maritime experience into a " blind jar of pearls ".
    • This event was very popular and laid the foundation for subsequent store expansion and pearl farming in Hong Kong.
  2. Inland aquaculture period (late 1990s – early 2010s)
    • They developed pearl farming in Xunliao Town, Guangdong Province, with a peak annual production of about 1 million pearls, which were supplied to well-known global brands.
    • Combining the farm with education and tourism has made it a popular destination for parent-child activities (learning farming techniques + authentic local cuisine).
    • Later, due to increased local pollution, production dropped sharply and is now maintained at a scale of several thousand grains, serving as a unique environmental tourism project.
    • Reference report: Pearls + Tourism! Huidong's 30-year-old pearl farms forge a new path for industrial development.
  3. Transformation and Innovation (after 2013)
    • With changes in Hong Kong's retail environment (such as the Individual Visit Scheme and digitalization), businesses are gradually moving away from traditional brick-and-mortar retail and towards an experience economy.
    • In 2013, Mr. David Wong , Project Director of Fukui Nuclear Materials Co., Ltd., unveiled the revolutionary technology Metakaku® (Pearl ID Card) at the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show.
    • This is a pearl nucleus with an embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) chip , giving each pearl a unique identity and allowing for full traceability of its origin.
    • It solves the long-standing problem of "passing off inferior goods as superior ones" in the industry, and has been patented, won multiple international awards, and adopted by organizations such as GIA in pearl reports.
    • The technology has now been extended to farms in French Polynesia, Indonesia, China, and other regions.
  4. Pearl farming in Hong Kong resumed (since 2014)
    • On April 28, 2014, modern pearl farming in Hong Kong was launched in Yung Shue O, Sai Kung (approximately 500 pearl oysters containing Metakaku nuclei), symbolizing the spirit of "Hong Kong First".
    • In February 2015, an unexpected red tide (shell-killing red tide) led to an early harvest, unexpectedly making it one of the first modern cultured pearls (Akoya pearls) in Hong Kong.
    • Later, it was moved to Ma Nam Wat Fish Farm in Sai Kung and Sam Mun Tsai in Tai Po for continued research and optimization.
    • Collaborating with local designers, we launched pearl jewelry that is 100% made in Hong Kong.
    • In 2018, the Hong Kong Pearl Farming Association was established, receiving multiple government grants from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and other organizations to promote sustainable development.

Current Focus: Sea Pearl Experience Workshop

Fukui Pearl is now offering a unique Hong Kong-based pearl jewelry workshop (approximately 2-3 hours) centered on environmental education and hands-on experience :

  • The content includes: explanations of pearl farming knowledge, opening oysters to find pearls, and making jewelry by hand.
  • Location: Sai Kung floating fish farm (about 15 minutes by boat from the pier).
  • Objective: To raise public awareness of the close relationship between pearls and the marine environment, promote conservation awareness, and redefine pearls as not just a luxury item, but also a "natural product with a story."
  • Reservation link: https://thepearlfarm.com.hk/collections/workshops

Hong Kong Maritime Pearl Jewelry Workshop

Brand philosophy and vision

Fukui Pearl hopes to help more people understand the cultivation process, environmental challenges, and technological innovations behind pearls through direct, hands-on experience. The brand emphasizes:

  • Transparency (Metakaku Origins)
  • Sustainability (Aquaculture after water quality improvement in Hong Kong)
  • "Made in Hong Kong" - A Source of Pride (Hong Kong First)
  • Pearls are not just beautiful ornaments, but also a medium connecting people with nature.