What is Keshi?
Keshi or « poppy seed » in Japanese
Keshi is not a “pearl”, but more of a cousin of the pearl. Indeed, its cultivation is different from cultured pearl.
Formation of keshi
Keshi is created when the oyster rejects the nucleus (the spherical nucleus) and only forms with small piece of graft (piece of the mantle of a pearl oyster) within a carrier pearl oyster. They can also be cultivated intentionally, which means that the graft is inserted during the process. The result is 100% mother-of-pearl.
Keshis are sought-after in jewellery for their originality and those in Tahiti are considered as exceptional pieces.
Size and shape
They have a diameter between 1 and 15 mm and all types of forms but are mainly baroques.