Keshi Pearls

[Kent]

Keshi Pearls

Keshi Pearls Defined A keshi pearl is a non-beaded pearl formed by accident as a by-product of a pearl culturing operation. How Keshi Pearls Are Formed Keshi pearls are formed when the oyster rejects and spits out the implanted nucleus before the culturing process is complete, or the...

www.pearl-guide.com

Keshi pearls are formed when the oyster rejects and spits out the implanted nucleus before the culturing process is complete, or the implanted mantle tissue fractures and forms separate pearl sacs without nuclei. These pearl sacs eventually produce pearls without a nucleus.
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What is meant by "implanted nucleus?" Is it talking only about the implanted bead, the implanted tissue, or both?

How can the implanted nucleus fracture and form separate pearl sacs without nuclei?

I read a keshi pearl can form when the bead is rejected, but the implanted tissue remains and it is then coated forming a pearl.

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Kent,

I am sorry for being so brief but I am running a high fever. The above definition of keshi pearls leaves a lot to be desired. First of all, the implanted bead nucleus is in the gonad and mussels with a maturing gonad are not implanted. So there is no spitting out, that is nonsense.

There are three types of keshi pearls.

1) A pearl that has been seeded intentionally to grow a keshi when the host mussel is not mature or big enough to handle a bead implant.

2) A pearl that occurs accidentally in gonadal bead nucleation when the tissue implnt separates from the bead and forms a pearl sac independent of it.

3) A pearl that occurs coincidentally either by intrusion of a parasite (mostly in the mantle) or by spontaneous (natural) pearl formation.

Three is actually a natural pearl but counts only as keshi if it occurs in a mussel otherwise under pearl cultivation.

Zeide

 

[MadisonB]

Organic Keshi Pearls?

Organic Keshi Pearls?

I just bought a strand of Keshi pearls and they were advertised as 'organic' Keshi pearls.

Does this mean anything?

 

[KAC]

well if they weren't organic they would be fakes - unless of course they mean naturally occuring keshis, but you'd think they would advertise them as "naturals" then.

Sounds like creative marketing to me.

 

[Valeria101]

I just bought a strand of Keshi pearls and they were advertised as 'organic' Keshi pearls.

Does this mean anything?

'Bet it doesn't mean 'Organic' FDA certification... Maybe they meant 'organic shape', which sort of fits them, but it is confusing a bit given the heavy contentious status of the word 'natural' about pearls. My take, at least.