Shapes of Pearls
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Potato Pearl- Exactly what it says, shaped like a tiny potato shape.
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Rondelle- A "squashed" round bead. Similar to the button pearls.
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Blister Pearl- Half sphere formed flush against the shell of the pearl oyster.
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Ringed Pearl- Pearls that have been rotated around causing circular rings to form.
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Large Ovals- Formed when 2 pearl are joined together in a mollusk, known as "Peanut Pearls".
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Small Ovals- Known as "Rice Pearls" this shape was china's first fresh water cultured pearl, but today beautiful and tiny.
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Round- Rarely perfect spheres, closest to round as possible.
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Near Round- Roundish to the eye, slightly oval.
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Tahitian- Natural colors greenish, blue, gray, peacock colors from the black lipped oyster. Pearl farms are from the French Polynesia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
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Biwa- Named after the fresh water Lake Biwa in Japan. 1980 pearl production ended due to industrial pollution. "Stick Flat pearls" are sometimes called this. Biwa has become a generic and historical name from Japan.
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Keishi- Occurs when a mollusk rejects the nucleus by accident. The pearl takes a more free form and has an irregular shape. Formed when an oyster spits out the substance before pearl is complete or starts to break apart. 100% of it is nacre which gives it's lustrous cream shine.
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Button-Round on one side, flat on the other.
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Baroque- Can have irregular shapes. When a bead is implanted into the host mollusk, pearls can take the shape with a tail.
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Coin Pearls- Looks like a circle.
