KESHI PEARL

Keshi Pearl

Multi-strand keshi pearl necklace

Species: Pearl
Pearl Type: Keshi (Non-nucleated)
Mollusk: (Various mollusks and mussels)
Mohs Hardness: 2.5 to 4.5 out of 10
Color: White to shades of yellow, pink, green, blue and gray
RI: 1.350 to 1.685 (+0.009 / -0.005)
Birefringence: 0.155 (use birefringence blink method)
SR/DR/AGG: Too opaque to test
Spectrum: Not diagnostic
Fluorescence: Varies. Inert to strong light blue, yellow, green or pink under LW and SW.
SG: 2.61

SHOP PEARL JEWELRY

$5,000.00 $1,950.00

$17,500.00 $10,000.00

$4,500.00 $995.00

$5,000.00 $2,500.00

$7,500.00 $3,000.00

$7,500.00 $4,500.00

$30,000.00 $15,000.00

$75,000.00 $40,000.00

$25,000.00 $15,000.00

$400.00 $200.00

$1,200.00 $495.00

$75,000.00 $50,000.00

Keshi Pearl Facts

Multi-colored baroque keshi pearl necklace with 14K gold clasp

Multi-color baroque keshi pearl necklace

What are keshi pearls?

Are they natural or are they cultured?

Well, they're a little bit of both!

Keshi pearls are not cultured, but are a byproduct of the culturing process.

Like natural pearls, keshi pearls are non-nucleated. This means they are made entirely of nacre.

Keshi pearls can have very strong orient (multi-colored, iridescent overtones).

Keshi pearls can occur in both saltwater mollusks and freshwater mussels.

Keshi pearls are usually caused by a mishap in the culturing process where the grafted mantle tissue separates from the nucleus.

Keshi Pearl Gallery

All photos courtesy of Scott Papper, GIA GG, AJP, CMA (NAJA)