|
Keshi Pearls
Keishi Pearls,also called reborn Pearls. Keshi
is a Japanese word for "poppy seed". Thus, keshi is also called the seed
Pearl deriving the name from its size.
A keshi Pearl is a non-beaded Pearl formed by
accident as a by-product of a Pearl culturing operation. Tiny Pearls,
some a little bigger than a grain of sand, which form naturally in many
cultured Pearl oysters. The fact that keshi Pearls are solid nacre
does not, however, give them the classification of natural Pearls. This
is because keshi are a bi-product of the culturing process, and not a
natural occurrence.
Keshi Pearls, although they often occur by chance, are not considered
natural Pearls. They are a byproduct of the culturing process, and hence
do not happen without human intervention. These Pearls are quite small:
typically a few millimeters in size. Keshi Pearls are produced by many
different types of marine mollusks and freshwater mussels in China.[4]
Today many "keshi" Pearls are actually intentional, with post-harvest
shells returned to the water to regenerate a Pearl in the existing Pearl
sac. At one time, keshi Pearls, especially of Tahiti and the South Sea,
could be procured at quite the bargain; even for the most beautiful and
rare samples. However, today keshi Pearls are considered to be much more
exceptional and infrequent. Still,
keshi Pearls remain popular as they are made of solid nacre and
therefore usually have quite a bright luster. Their variable shapes are
frequently considered quite desirable to jewelers who wish to design
something unique and innovative.
Tahitian Keshi Pearls
Small Tahiti Cultured Pearls created by the oyster's premature rejection
of the grafted nucleus have been given the Japanese name of keshi. The
term means poppies, and the association is between the minuscule size of
poppy seeds and the very small Pearl beads that are naturally formed in
the soft tissue of the mollusk. Tahitian keshi come in the same colors
as Tahiti Cultured Pearls. The keshi are made up entirely of Pearly
layers and range in diameter from 2-8mm. They are often baroque in shape
and are mainly used to decorate earrings, bracelets, necklaces and
broaches.
South Sea Pearls
South Sea Pearls is a generic name for the
Pearls, usually 9mm-16mm in size, produced by the two groups of large
Pearl producing oysters. These oysters can grow to 25-30 cm in size, and
are much rarer than their Akoya counterparts....
Read more...
Tahiti Cultured Pearls
Tahiti cultured Pearls are Pearl concretions
that are secreted inside the black-lipped Pinctada Margaritifera species
of Pearl oysters cultivated mainly in the lagoons of French Polynesia.
They consist of thick Pearly layers containing organic substances..
Read more...
Akoya Pearls
Akoya Pearls are found only in Japan, China,
and Vietnam. Japanese Akoya Pearl farms are shifting towards the warmer
Chinese waters, where these Pearls take only half as long to grow.
Overtone colors of Akoya Pearls include white, cream, rose, silver, and
green...
Read more...
The Birth of a Pearl
The birth of a Pearl is truly a miraculous event. Unlike
gemstones or precious metals; which must be mined from the earth, Pearls
are grown by live oysters far below the surface of the sea. Gemstones
must be cut and polished to bring out their beauty...
Read more...
Pearl Luster
Luster is what many experts term the heart and soul of
the sea-grown gem. Throughout history, this unique luster has separated
Pearls from all other gems. For cultured Pearl experts, luster is
perhaps the most important indicator in evaluating cultured Pearl
quality...
Read more...
The History of Pearls
No one will ever know who were the earliest people to collect and wear Pearls. George Frederick Kunz a gemologist in his 1908 masterpiece - The Book of the Pearl, states his belief that an ancient fish-eating tribe, perhaps along the coast...
Read more...
Types of Pearls
Although there are many
varieties of Pearls available today, there are 5 basic
types of Pearls. Pearls may be rice-shaped,
round, pear-shaped, button-shaped, or irregular
(baroque) and are valued in that order. Pearls found
attached to the inner surface of the shell...
Read more...
Natural Pearls
A natural Pearl is a Pearl that forms in nature with no
human intervention. Natural Pearls, What is a Natural
Pearl Natural Pearls are grown in wild oysters. The
process begins when an irritant, such as a grain of sand
or a piece of shell, gets inside an oyster's shell...
Read more...
Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater Pearls are a kind of Pearl that comes from
freshwater mussels. They are produced in Japan and the
United States on a limited scale, but are now almost
exclusive to China The U.S. Federal Trade Commission
requires that freshwater Pearls are referred to as..
Read more...
Biwa Pearls
Biwa Pearl is a freshwater Pearl cultivated in a mollusk
only in Japan's Lake Biwa. Biwa Pearls are produced at
lake Biwa, Japan using freshwater clams. They are
irregular in shape but have good color and luster.
Instead of a bead a small square of mother of...
Read more...
Saltwater Pearls
Although freshwater Pearls can be grown in mussels and
other mollusks, saltwater Pearls are always grown in
oysters. Most saltwater Pearls are harvested in the Red
Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the coastal waters of India
and Japan. Generally, saltwater Pearls...
Read more...
Cultured Pearls
Cultured Pearls are those in which humans take a helping
hand. By actually inserting a foreign object into the
tissue of an oyster or mollusk, Pearl farmers can induce
the creation of a Pearl. The same natural process of
Pearl creation takes place...
Read more...
The Pearl Myths
There are many myths
about Pearls that have continued through the centuries.
"Pearls of Wisdom", is a common saying and even
shares the title of some books in areas such as
medicine, country living, inspiration and wisdom
collections and Oriental teachings...
Read more...
How to Care for your Pearls
Pearls give the most natural glow under the morning
sunlight. Spotlights also enhance their appearance. Therefore, if, when
shopping for Pearls, the items are being displayed under direct sunlight
or bright artificial light, it would be best to request to have them...
Read more...
Back to 'All About Pearls' Summary
Ever since the ancient Egyptians first started creating
jewelry, Pearls have become one of the highest regarded gemstones. Even
today Pearls still hold their value due to the rarity of "mother nature"
creating this form of jewelry. Pearls are created from a core. The core
of a natural Pearl is simply a fragment of shell or fishbone, or a grain
of sand that strays into the unsuspecting Pearl oyster's shell. To
protect itself from this irritant the oyster secretes multiple layers of
nacre, forming a Pearl...
Read more...
|
What is Keshi Pearls
