What Are Keshi Pearls?

An increasingly rare pearl, the word Keshi means poppyseed in Japanese. Keshi pearls form spontaneously in the soft tissue of the mollusk, and are a by-product of pearl cultivation.

There is ongoing debate over whether keshi pearls are natural

pearls. The issue is unclear because although keshi pearls form

naturally without intervention, this only happens in cultivated

mollusks.

Today keshi pearls also refer

to a larger pearl without nuclei that form naturally in cultivated

South Sea oysters and in freshwater mussels. Noted for their high

iridesence, luster, and irregular shape, keshi pearls are less

expensive than fine round pearls.

View the keshi pearl collection of
Maurice Goldman Fine & Estate Jewelry

Submitted by

Judith Isaacson

GIA Pearl Gemologist