Just one good look at a pearl and Jennifer Tanpoco can easily assess and gauge its value. More than two decades of training abroad and working in pearl trading equipped her with the technical know-how, skills, and expertise when it comes to pearls. Tagged as the Queen of Pearls in the Philippines, Jenni’s eyes lit up with passion as soon as she began unpacking her journey. Fresh from her stint in the Los Angeles Fashion Week, in partnership with renowned Filipino designer Avel Bacudio, Jenni has big plans for the pearl industry not only in the Philippines but also around the globe.

            A certified public accountant by profession, Jenni used to work as the country manager in a company owned by Robert Wan in 1998. Robert is internationally known as the Emperor of Tahitian Pearls, the type of pearls considered among the world's finest gems. The pearl authority saw Jenni’s potential in pearl culture, so she became a trusted distributor of his brand. Jenni and her architect-entrepreneur husband Mark are two of the few pearl traders accredited by Robert Wan and have access to his pearl farms in Tahiti. It was Mark who brought up the idea of distributing Tahitian pearls in the Philippines and Robert instantly agreed.

            Jaune Pearls was born in 2002 and the Tanpoco company joined the prestigious list of Robert’s collaborators – top jewelers and fashion designers like Dupont, Harry Winston, Tiffany & Co., Chaumet, Boucheron, Chanel, Jean Paul Gautier, Mikimoto, and Chow Ta Fook. As the pearls come raw from a private island in the French Polynesia, Jenni works on sorting and matching the pieces exclusively for her clients. The same high-quality pearls make it to Hollywood and are spotted being worn by celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, Keira Knightley, and Kris Jenner. “Pearls are very valuable.
Harvesting can take three to ten years. To make a uniform strand in size and shape requires time and skills,” Jenni said.

            “I am honored and humbled to have a full experience under Robert’s tutelage,” Jenni said, highlighting her longstanding friendship and business partnership with the Emperor of Pearls. She continued, “Mark and I decided to market pearls not existing in the Philippines. Our product designs are rare and of high quality, making them exclusive pieces.” In no time, more than 20 years ago, Jenni started becoming the trusted jeweler of society and entertainment A-listers. Socialites and celebrities flock to Jenni for unique and bespoke pieces. One of her pearl patrons is the Queen of All Media, Kris Aquino, who also lovingly gave her the nickname Jenni Pearls.

            “In some parts of Asia, oysters are developed in laboratories. The color can be manipulated. What makes our pearls different is that we retain the original state. The luster and color are all-natural,” Jenni explained. Displaying concern for sustainability and respect for the environment, she went in-depth, “The oyster is naturally abundant, naturally grown in the ocean.  There are no hatcheries and chemicals involved so the farming is sustainable.” Jenni’s passion is overflowing and it is no surprise she was able to pass it on to her daughter, actress and recording artist Melizza Jimenez. It is quite fitting for Melizza to
get involved as Jaune, the business brand, is her second name. An enchanting pearl color, jaune also means yellow in French.

            Melizza, now being teased as the Pearl Princess-in-progress, is currently undertaking her undergraduate studies in Australia’s top media and communication university, ranking number 1 in Australia and 16th globally. She is working on a special project for next year, one she hopes will elevate pearl appreciation to greater heights. While her mom Jenni’s most premium pearls are sorted and matched for the VIPs, Melizza aims to make other high-quality pearls more accessible to the younger market. Her older sister Maika Rivera, also visible as an actress, helps out in public relations and marketing in foreign cities like New York City and Los Angeles.

            “I am very much in love with pearls,” Melizza smilingly shared. “I want people to see why. The whole process of it is so interesting. From ancient times up to now, the royals have loved pearls as they are known to attract happiness and positive energies. The natural and rare gems are given as gifts to royal families all over the world. Back then, only the royals were capable of wearing pearls.” Jenni chimed in, “The kings and queens wore pearls as symbols of power and wealth. They traded pearls before they traded gasoline and oil.” In modern times, many world leaders are captivated by pearls’ charm and luck, the mother-and-daughter tandem added.

            Melizza’s wealth of knowledge on pearls is backed by her years of exposure to the business and formal training. The young enthusiast took a 6-month online course and earned her pearl diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and went to New York City to do hands-on work in a laboratory. Jenni earned the same diploma in 2015. Together, Melizza and mom Jenni recently took a 10-day trip to Tahiti and directly trained under Robert Wan.

            “Melizza knows how to make pearls into a marketable state. She knows how to sort, grade, match, and design concepts,” Jenni added, further establishing Melizza’s credentials in handling the family business. “Robert Wan also approved of her being the ambassador of pearls for the youth.” Melizza is currently working on improving the company’s website and an intimate collection under the same brand which will use Robert Wan’s exclusive patent technology called Ariake. “Only three people in the Philippines trained by Robert can do it,” Melizza shared. “The results are beautiful that they are comparable to pieces you’ll find at The Met or The Louvre.”

            “Pearls are the only gems that come from a living organism,” Jenni emphasized. “Pearls are like fingerprints and NFTs (nonfungible tokens), they are unique. They should have layers of beautiful colors and good luster. If pearls have no luster, they have no value.”

These interesting tidbits on the value of pearls are part of the education she wishes to provide more people. While they are rare and valuable, Jenni and Melizza hope to make people realize that the gems are also for everyone and not exclusive to any gender. In fact, Melizza shared how pearls are spotted in men’s wardrobe like those of celebrities Harry Styles, Jacob Elordi, and Timothée Chalamet.

            “Jaune Pearls is not just about business but also maintaining and creating long-term relationships,” Melizza offered. Her mom added, “As a family, we find joy in our clients' confidence and happiness.” With the passion, attention to detail, and hard work exemplified by the Tanpocos, they are committed to giving their clients the best. As Jenni said, “Quality pearls are priceless.” With so many things Jenni is set to offer, the world is her oyster.

Watch out for Jaune Pearls in 2023. Visit jaunepearls.com for updates and more information.