Made in China: Cultured Pearls

Not limited to knock off handbags, bootleg movies and the occasional American flag, China is currently the world largest producer of pearls. This is due to the booming business of cheaper farmed pearls that are being used in costume jewelry with a price point that is much more affordable than their saltwater counterparts. 
Some consider cultured, or man made pearls the wave of the future, such as Zhan Weijian, owner of Grace Pearls, one of the worlds largest pearl farming companies and creator of the "Edison" pearl. Others, who value the rarity and natural beauty of saltwater pearls feel that freshwater pearls are, in a sense, bastardizing the industry.
Are cultured pearls the new cubic zirconia?
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Jewelry Sales on the RISE

Is is safe to say that the recession is over?
IDEX (International Diamond Exchange) Online reports that jewelry sales have increased dramatically over the last year, reaching record numbers. This is of course in comparison to a time when the US was swimming in the red back in 2009 during one of the most bleak economic periods in our county's history.
The light at the end of the tunnel must be a flawless, brilliant cut diamond because things are apparently looking up.
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