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Cultured · Saltwater (and freshwater)

Keshi pearls

Small, bead-free pearls that grow by accident when oysters are cultured. Mostly solid nacre, often baroque and very lustrous. The name means "poppy seed" in Japanese.

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Illustration of a typical keshi pearl. Move your pointer to turn the light.

At a glance

WaterSaltwater (and freshwater)
MolluskAkoya, Pinctada maxima and Pinctada margaritifera oysters; GIA also accepts freshwater mussels
WhereWherever akoya, South Sea and Tahitian pearls are cultured
Typical sizeSmall; South Sea and Tahitian keshi are larger than akoya keshi
ShapesMostly baroque
How it startsNo bead: a by-product of bead culturing
Growing timeForms by accident during culturing
WhiteSilverGoldenCharcoal

Keshi pearls are a happy accident. They form in cultured pearl oysters without a bead, as a by-product of the culturing process, and they are mainly solid nacre like natural pearls (GIA).

The word comes from the Japanese for "poppy seed." It was first used for tiny natural seed pearls of 1 to 3 mm and later for these culture by-products (GIA).

How keshi form

The exact cause is not fully understood. One theory is that the oyster rejects the bead nucleus but keeps the piece of mantle tissue, which goes on making nacre. Keshi can also form when displaced cells start a new pearl alongside a bead-nucleated one (GemGuide).

Because there is no bead, a keshi pearl is almost entirely nacre, which is why the best ones have such strong luster.

Which oysters

Under CIBJO rules, keshi come from saltwater pearl oysters: akoya (Pinctada fucata), silver- or gold-lipped (Pinctada maxima) and black-lipped (Pinctada margaritifera). GIA also accepts freshwater mussels as a source (GemGuide). South Sea and Tahitian keshi became popular because they are larger than akoya keshi.

A naming note

CIBJO considers the word "keshi" on its own misleading and recommends saying "keshi cultured pearl." GIA does not use the term on its pearl reports (GIA). A keshi is a cultured pearl, not a natural one, even though it has no bead.

What people paid for keshi pearls

Real prices readers paid, not estimates. A figure appears only once at least 5 people have reported the same kind of piece, and we never show individual reports.

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Frequently asked questions

What are keshi pearls?

Bead-free pearls that form by accident in cultured pearl oysters. They are mainly solid nacre and are classed as cultured pearls.

What does keshi mean?

Poppy seed, in Japanese. The word was first used for tiny natural seed pearls and later for culture by-products.

Are keshi pearls natural?

No. They grow without a bead, but in oysters that people cultured. CIBJO recommends calling them keshi cultured pearls.

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Sources

Checked October 22, 2026. How we check our facts.