Country / Region: French Polynesia
About Firmin Robert Wan:
Firmin Robert Wan is the seventh child from a Chinese family in Tahiti. He has been a hard-working, diligent and driven man since he was a child. However, no employment could fully quell the fire that burned within him. Robert was always looking for something to build, something to grow – something to call his own.
In 1973, Firmin Robert Wan discovered the cultured Tahitian pearl. It was the beginning of a marvellous adventure. Within the decade, Robert would start introducing Tahitian pearls to the world, starting with joining pearl auctions in Hong Kong in 1998. He also built the Robert Wan Pearl Museum in Papeete, Tahiti, and later, created the jewellery brand “Robert Wan Tahiti.”
One of Robert’s most incredible achievements was when his Tahitian pearls received the ultimate recognition of the GIA certificate. Such recognition elevates the pearls on the same plane as diamonds and other gems. Indeed, a new gem was born.
On the fourth decade of his journey, Robert looks back at the entire experience with fondness – not only for the successes, but also for the failures. For him, both sides of the coin made him who he is today; with the successes giving him a source of pride, and the failures motivating him to do better and strive for greater heights.
