Photography Blog

Authentic pearl shop in Beijing

The Pearl Market close to the Beijing Avic Hotel is a hot shopping center. Every day it attracts a great number of people from all over the world. If you want to buy natural pearl jewelery for yourself or loved ones, I recommend you come here and to a shop named Fanghua Pearl and Jewel.

This well-decorated shop is on the 4th floor of the market. You will find numerous pearl necklaces neatly displayed in the shop. The colors included milk white, golden yellow, pink, and black.

A shop assistant Ms. Carrie greeted me. She told me her company is the No.1 retailer of high quality pearls. Pearls here are organized into three categories: fresh water pearls, sea water pearls, and South Sea pearls.

Ms. Carrie explained to me how to distinguish real pearls from fake ones. There’s a rule for judjing fine pearls: the rounder and shinier, the better.

You will notice the photos on the wall showing foreign dignitaries visiting the shop: Margaret Thatcher, Putin’s wife, the Queen of Spain, and so on. The photos are proof of the charm of these Chinese pearls.

Next shop: antiques, jade jewelry and works of art

Near the Days Hotel & Suites Beijing, there is a shopping center named Chengtian Antique City. I found a shop that carried antiques, jade jewelry and other art.

The first thing I saw was a collection of antique porcelain wares, including vases, bowls, and plates. Some of them were made in the Qing dynasty.

The shop owner Mr. Tang greeted me and showed me a porcelain statue of Empress Dowager Cixi, an infamous female ruler of the Qing dynasty. She was sitting on a stone bench with a big spotted dog. She was wearing a big black hat and a button-down robe with yellow, red, and blue. On the robe were embroidered peonies and butterflies. In China, peonies represent wealth and status.

He also showed me some jade jewelry items, including pendants and bracelets. They were white, and looked glossy. Jade symbolizes virtue and is thought to bring good health.

I also found Chinese paintings, calligraphy work, and wood carvings. They are all traditional Chinese art forms. This is a must-see shop right near your hotel in Beijing.