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