---
title: "What Are the Different Types of Pearls?"
description: "The main types of cultured pearls compared: Akoya, freshwater, South Sea, Tahitian and keshi, with the mollusk, waters, sizes and colors of each."
canonical_url: "https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/"
last_updated: "2026-11-04"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-26"
reviewed_by: "Simon"
publisher: "Unique Pearl"
publisher_disclosure: "Learn About Pearls is published by Unique Pearl, a pearl jeweler."
---
# What Are the Different Types of Pearls?

**Short answer:** Most cultured pearls belong to four main types, named for the mollusk or place they come from. Akoya pearls grow in a small saltwater oyster, mostly in Japan. Freshwater pearls grow in mussels, mainly in China. South Sea pearls grow in the large Pinctada maxima oyster, and Tahitian pearls in the black-lipped oyster of French Polynesia. Keshi are cultured pearls with no bead, formed as a by-product.

Pearl types are named for the [mollusk](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#mollusk) that grows them, and often for the waters it lives in. GIA counts four major types of whole [cultured pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#cultured-pearl): [Akoya](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#akoya), South Sea, Tahitian and freshwater. [1] The tool [compare pearl types](https://learnaboutpearls.com/tools/compare-pearl-types/) sets every type in the Learn About Pearls dataset side by side.

| Feature                | Akoya cultured pearl                           | Freshwater cultured pearl                                         | South Sea cultured pearl                                                            | Tahitian cultured pearl                                                  |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Mollusk                | _Pinctada fucata_ (Akoya pearl oyster) [2, 3] | _Hyriopsis cumingii_ (triangle shell mussel) [2, 3, 4, 5]        | _Pinctada maxima_ (silver-lipped pearl oyster and gold-lipped pearl oyster) [2, 6] | _Pinctada margaritifera cumingii_ (black-lipped pearl oyster) [1, 2, 7] |
| Water                  | saltwater [3, 8]                              | freshwater [1, 2]                                                | saltwater [1, 8]                                                                   | saltwater [1, 8]                                                        |
| Main producing regions | Japan, China and Vietnam [3, 4, 9]            | China [1, 4, 9]                                                  | Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar [1, 2, 6, 9]                     | French Polynesia [1, 2, 9]                                              |
| Typical size           | 6–8 mm [4, 8, 9, 10, 11]                      | 3–15 mm [4, 8]                                                   | 9–16 mm [4, 8, 9]                                                                  | 8–14 mm [4, 8, 9, 12]                                                   |
| Natural colors         | white and cream [3, 4, 8, 11]                 | white, cream, pink, peach, orange, lavender and purple [2, 3, 4] | white, silver, cream, champagne and golden [1, 4, 13, 14, 15]                      | gray, greenish gray, black and brown [1, 4, 8]                          |

## The four main types

- **[Akoya pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/akoya-pearls/).** Akoya cultured pearls are the [saltwater pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#saltwater-pearl) many people picture as the classic white or cream pearl. Japan and China both produce them. [1]
- **[Freshwater pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/freshwater-pearls/).** [Freshwater cultured pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#freshwater-cultured-pearl) are the most commonly produced pearls. They come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors, mostly from China. [1]
- **[South Sea pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/south-sea-pearls/).** [South Sea cultured pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#south-sea-cultured-pearl) are large saltwater pearls with thick [nacre](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#nacre), white to silver or golden depending on the oyster, from Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines. [1]
- **[Tahitian pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/tahitian-pearls/).** [Tahitian cultured pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#tahitian-cultured-pearl) are the dark saltwater pearls of French Polynesia, sometimes called [black pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#black-pearl), in shades of gray, black or brown. [1]

## Keshi and other kinds of pearls

[Keshi](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#keshi) are cultured pearls with no bead. They form by accident or on purpose in oysters farmed for Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian pearls. [2] The page [keshi pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/keshi-pearls/) explains how they form, and pearls of irregular shape, whatever their type, are called [baroque](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#baroque); see [baroque pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/baroque-pearls/).

Some words describe a pearl’s shape or form, not its type. A [baroque](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#baroque) pearl is any irregularly shaped natural or cultured pearl. [Mabe](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#mabe) is a Japanese trade term for an assembled [cultured blister](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#cultured-blister), first from the Mabe oyster and now from other [bivalves](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#bivalve) as well. [2]

## How the types differ

The main differences come from the mollusk, including its size. GIA notes that the oyster that produces South Sea cultured pearls is larger than the one that produces Japanese saltwater cultured pearls, which gives it the potential for larger pearls. [16] The [comparisons](https://learnaboutpearls.com/compare/) section sets the main types side by side, and the page [where pearls come from](https://learnaboutpearls.com/farming/where-pearls-come-from/) maps where each is farmed.

## Start here

1. [Akoya pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/akoya-pearls/)
2. [Freshwater pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/freshwater-pearls/)
3. [South Sea pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/south-sea-pearls/)
4. [Tahitian pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/tahitian-pearls/)
5. [Keshi pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/keshi-pearls/)
6. [Baroque pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/baroque-pearls/)

## Every page in this section

- [Akoya pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/akoya-pearls/)

  The classic round, white saltwater cultured pearl, grown mostly in Japan.

- [Freshwater pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/freshwater-pearls/)

  Cultured pearls from freshwater mussels, mostly grown in China, in a wide range of shapes and colors.

- [South Sea pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/south-sea-pearls/)

  The largest cultured pearls, white to golden, from the Pinctada maxima oyster.

- [Tahitian pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/tahitian-pearls/)

  Dark, naturally colored cultured pearls from the black-lipped oyster of French Polynesia.

- [Keshi pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/keshi-pearls/)

  Cultured pearls with no bead, formed on Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian pearl farms.

- [Baroque pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/baroque-pearls/)

  Irregularly shaped pearls, natural or cultured, and why pearls grow off-round.

## References

1. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem Encyclopedia. Pearl Description. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/pearl-description) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261017085317/https://www.gia.edu/pearl-description)
2. CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation, Pearl Commission (2026). The CIBJO Pearl Book (Pearl Blue Book) 2026. [Source](https://cibjo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Pearl-Blue-Book-2026-.pdf) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261025235254/https://cibjo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Pearl-Blue-Book-2026-.pdf)
3. Phoebe Shang (2026). Freshwater Akoyas – A Trending Misnomer for Certain Freshwater Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/freshwater-akoyas-a-trending-misnomer-for-certain-pearls) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260617073835/https://www.gia.edu/freshwater-akoyas-a-trending-misnomer-for-certain-pearls)
4. CIBJO Pearl Commission (2025). CIBJO Guides Describing and Classifying Natural and Cultured Pearls, the Producing Molluscs & Responsible Pearling. [Source](https://cibjo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Final-Guide-October-2025-v2-COMPRESSED.pdf) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260212155210/https://cibjo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Final-Guide-October-2025-v2-COMPRESSED.pdf)
5. Doug Fiske and Jeremy Shepherd (2007). Continuity and Change in Chinese Freshwater Pearl Culture. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/dam/migrated-assets/docs/doc1/Continuity-and-Change-in-Chinese-Freshwater-Pearl-Culture.pdf) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.43.2.138](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.43.2.138) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261025235652/https://www.gia.edu/dam/migrated-assets/docs/doc1/Continuity-and-Change-in-Chinese-Freshwater-Pearl-Culture.pdf)
6. Artitaya Homkrajae, Nanthaporn Nilpetploy, Areeya Manustrong, Nicholas Sturman, Kwanreun Lawanwong and Promlikit Kessrapong (2021). Internal Structures of Known Pinctada maxima Pearls: Cultured Pearls from Operated Marine Mollusks. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/fall-2021-internal-structures-pinctada-maxima-pearls) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.57.3.186](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.57.3.186) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260420034834/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/fall-2021-internal-structures-pinctada-maxima-pearls)
7. Assemblée de la Polynésie française (Journal officiel de la Polynésie française) (2017). Loi du pays n° 2017-16 du 18 juillet 2017 réglementant les activités professionnelles liées à la production et la commercialisation des produits perliers et nacriers en Polynésie française. [Source](https://www.ressources-marines.gov.pf/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/10/Loi-du-Pays-n%C2%B0-2017-16-du-18_07_2017-Activit%C3%A9s-professionnelles-perli.pdf) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261026000126/https://www.ressources-marines.gov.pf/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/10/Loi-du-Pays-n%C2%B0-2017-16-du-18_07_2017-Activit%C3%A9s-professionnelles-perli.pdf)
8. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), FAQ. What are the main types of cultured pearls and what are their distinctive characteristics?. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/FAQ/gia-faq-about-gemstones-cultured-pearl-types-characteristics) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260510233833/https://www.gia.edu/FAQ/gia-faq-about-gemstones-cultured-pearl-types-characteristics)
9. Fisheries Agency of Japan (水産庁) (2026). 真珠養殖をめぐる情勢について (On the situation of pearl culture). [Source](https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/saibai/attach/pdf/shinju-60.pdf) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261026000052/https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/saibai/attach/pdf/shinju-60.pdf)
10. Areeya Manustrong (2018). Very Small Akoya Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/spring-2018-gemnews-very-small-akoya-cultured-pearls) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260508145843/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/spring-2018-gemnews-very-small-akoya-cultured-pearls)
11. Artitaya Homkrajae (2024). Remarkably Large Akoya Bead Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2024-gemnews-large-akoya-bead-cultured-pearls) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261025235607/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2024-gemnews-large-akoya-bead-cultured-pearls)
12. Oïhana Latchere and others (2018). Influence of water temperature and food on the last stages of cultured pearl mineralization from the black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera. [Source](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0193863) · DOI [10.1371/journal.pone.0193863](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193863) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260905233729/https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0193863)
13. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. South Sea Pearl Ring (NMNH G10639). [Source](https://naturalhistory.si.edu/explore/collections/geogallery/10002784) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20250925205851/https://naturalhistory.si.edu/explore/collections/geogallery/10002784)
14. Shane Elen (2001). Spectral Reflectance and Fluorescence Characteristics of Natural-Color and Heat-Treated "Golden" South Sea Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2001-heat-treated-golden-south-sea-cultured-pearls-elen) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.37.2.114](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.37.2.114) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260308065638/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2001-heat-treated-golden-south-sea-cultured-pearls-elen)
15. Chunhui Zhou, Artitaya Homkrajae, Joyce Wing Yan Ho, Akira Hyatt and Nicholas Sturman (2012). Update on the Identification of Dye Treatment in Yellow or "Golden" Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2012-cultured-pearls-zhou) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.48.4.284](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.48.4.284) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260309094817/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2012-cultured-pearls-zhou)
16. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem Encyclopedia. Pearl Quality Factors. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/pearl-quality-factor) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261016075647/https://www.gia.edu/pearl-quality-factor)

**Written by:** Learn About Pearls editors

**Fact-checked:** Learn About Pearls editors, October 26, 2026

**Reviewed by:** Simon, October 26, 2026

**First published:** November 4, 2026

**Publisher:** [Unique Pearl](https://learnaboutpearls.com/about/), a pearl jeweler

**Revision history**

1. November 4, 2026: First published. First published

**How to cite this page**

**APA:** Learn About Pearls editors. (2026). _What Are the Different Types of Pearls?_ Learn About Pearls. https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/

**MLA:** “What Are the Different Types of Pearls?” _Learn About Pearls_, Unique Pearl, November 4, 2026, learnaboutpearls.com/types/.

**Chicago:** Learn About Pearls editors. “What Are the Different Types of Pearls?” Learn About Pearls. Unique Pearl. Last modified November 4, 2026. https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/.

**BibTeX:** `@misc{lap-types, title = {What Are the Different Types of Pearls?}, author = {{Learn About Pearls editors}}, year = {2026}, howpublished = {\url{https://learnaboutpearls.com/types/}}, note = {Learn About Pearls, published by Unique Pearl}}`

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## Related pages

- [Comparisons](https://learnaboutpearls.com/compare/): Side-by-side comparisons of the main pearl types, and of natural, cultured, saltwater and freshwater pearls.
- [Basics](https://learnaboutpearls.com/basics/): What pearls are, what they are made of, and how natural, cultured and imitation pearls differ.