The captain delivered the season's pearls to his financier who would pay a rate below market value. Any money left was then divided among the captain and crew.
The captain might, alternatively sell his pearls to a town-based tajir or professional pearl merchant.
The tawwash was a merchant who went in search of trade. He travelled in his own small boat and stayed out at sea for the diving season.
When news of the discovery of a fine pearl spread, merchants would often race for the chance of buying it.
Trading
Merchants had a language of their own, carried out with finger signals beneath a cloth.
These means of communication were used between the merchants for bargaining and trading.
They had their own equipment for judging and grading pearls: a series of little metal sieves (tus), each with holes of different sizes, through which pearls were passed for grading; small metal scales with sets of special weights; and a magnifying glass used to check the surface quality and lustre of each pearl.
The pearl merchants launch was the antithesis of the diving dhow. It was carpeted with Persian rugs and provided with cushions.