Is this a Keishi Pearl in this pendant?

[momsjewel]

I bought this pendant recently because I thought it was a pearl inside and I like how different it looked. After researching a bit, I think it may be a Keishi pearl? Maybe even a tahitian keishi, I truly need some help with it. The pearl is pretty long and measures a little over 3/4" in length with the pendant measuring about 2" long. The fancy pendant is sterling silver and marked 925. Thank you for any information.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Likely it's a a dyed freshwater reborn/"keshi" pearl.

 

[Katbran]

I agree with PD Looks dyed to me

 

[pattye]

Fun pin, nice size amethyst(?) charming leaves and tendrils. Yes, I agree, dyed freshwater pearl.

 

[momsjewel]

Thanks you all for your comments. At least I got the Keshi right. I never heard or 'reborn' so will have to research that. But, unfortunately, I do not understand how you so easily know about being freshwater and dyed. I do have alot to learn. I like the pendant, not sure if it an amethyst though.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

momsjewel, I'll explain how a "reborn" / keshi fwp is produced. It's a second generation pearl.

A first generation freshwater pearl forms when a bit of mantle tissue from a sacrificed donor mussel is inserted into the mantle tissue of the host mussel. A pearl sac forms from the donor mantle tissue. This pearl sac secretes nacre that becomes a solid-nacre freshwater pearl.

When that pearl is harvested, if the mussel is placed back into the water, another pearl will form in the already-existing pearl sac, which will continue to secrete nacre. That pearl will be the reborn or keshi pearl. It is often solid nacre, but if the farmer chooses he can place a shaped bead nucleus into the pearl sac. Coin, star and bar shapes are common, but there can be other shapes. Nacre will be laid down over the nucleus and the resulting pearl will be shaped like the nucleus that was inserted.

The shape of your keshi pearl is a common shape for freshwater keshi but not for Tahitian keshi. Also, freshwater keshi are not costly, so would more commonly be placed in less-costly settings (like silver). As to its being dyed, freshwater pearls do not occur naturally in that color, so it would have to be dyed.

It's a nice pendant-- enjoy!

 

[momsjewel]

Thank you Pearl Dreams for that easy (at least for me) to understand explanation. Truly interesting and much better than the searching I had done about it all.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

It doesn't end there!

If, after that reborn pearl is harvested, a round bead is placed inside the (non-round) pearl sac, and the mussel is returned to the water, nacre will continue to be laid down-- not only over the round bead, but also in the loose part of the pearl sac where the bead isn't. The result is a third harvest pearl, which looks like a comet with a tail-- hence the name "flameball" or "fireball". These can have fabulous iridescence.

Also since we are talking about reborn pearls /keshi and how they form, it may interest you to know that saltwater keshi (Tahitian, South Sea, Fijian etc.) do not form by deliberate process of the farmer, unlike the freshwater ones. Nor do they form in the mantle tissue-- unlike the FW ones.

Most commonly saltwater keshi form when the oyster expels the bead nucleus from its gonad (which is where saltwater oysters are nucleated). The sac continues to lay down nacre and the result is a baroque shaped keshi.
However, nowadays farmers x-ray the oysters to make sure a bead nucleus is present-- because the goal is to produce the more valuable round pearls. If the x-ray shows the bead is no longer present, another bead is inserted.

 

[CathyKeshi]

Those are great explanations Pearl Dreams ... Thanks!

Momsjewel, that's an interesting and very pretty pendant; nice find. Always a treat for me to see a fellow PA pearl lover here

 

[momsjewel]

Thanks again Pearl Dreams. That is a very interesting process - I had no idea. Did some researching and found out that the value of the saltwater Keshi may increase because of the practice of X-raying and getting rid of the baroque shaped Keshi, as you mentioned. Nature is so very interesting and beautiful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

 

[momsjewel]

Hi Cathy, Thanks for the compliment and nice to meet you. I am definitely into pearls, but, have nothing of great value. I do enjoy learning about them and am amazed of the wealth of information on this group. Simply to be able to recognize the type of pearl from images is quite the talent.

 

[86Corvettegirl]

Great explanation, PD! I learned something, too!