Keshi

The word ”Keshi” is Japanese for ”seed pearl” and indicates a very small pearl. Today Keshi pearls can be found in larger sizes, as also the big South Sea and Tahiti pearl oysters produce Keshi.
Keshi is pure mother-of-pearl and considering its growth pattern, very close to a natural pearl. A Keshi pearl comes into existence in the South Sea and Tahiti oysters by a coincidence when the pearl oyster has managed to belch out the inserted nucleus, but the process of creating the mother-of- pearl continues. The South Sea and Tahiti oyster will always present either a pearl or a Keshi. As a difference to this, the Akoya Keshi can be found in the mantle tissue of the oyster and can be additional to the cultured pearl.
The name Keshi can only be used for pearls coming from saltwater pearl oysters.