Tahitian pearls come in a wide variety of shapes - you truly never know what each oyster will produce. Shapes range from perfectly round to wildly misshapen, and every one of them has its own appeal. Here are the main Tahitian pearl shapes you will find in our jewelry, and what makes each one special.

The shape pearls are known for around the world - a classic, timeless look. Perfectly round pearls are the hardest for an oyster to produce, which is what makes them the most prized and the most valuable. Semi-round pearls carry the same clean look with a touch of natural variation.

Semi-baroque pearls encompass every pearl that has only one axis of symmetry. This includes drop pearls, button pearls, and oval pearls - a wide variety of shapes that will keep you on your toes. Drop shapes in particular are a favorite for pendants and earrings, where their gentle taper hangs beautifully.

This is where pearls get crazy. Baroque pearls have no axis of symmetry, and shapes can vary wildly. Each baroque pearl is truly a one-of-one - you will never see two exactly the same. If you want a piece that no one else on earth has, a baroque pearl is it.

This shape is our personal favorite. Circle pearls have rings formed around them and offer an extremely unique look. Similar to baroque pearls, each one is different and is a genuine work of natural art.

These pearls also show off their color like none other, which is why we have a soft spot for these beauties. The ridges catch the light and pull out the green, blue, and peacock tones better than almost any other shape.

Keshi pearls are an accidental treasure of pearl farming. They are non-nucleated pearls, which means they form when a second pearl sac develops apart from the nucleus. Because there is no bead at the center, a keshi pearl is solid nacre all the way through - and that is exactly why they have such intense luster and color for their size.

Being non-nucleated, keshi pearls are often very small and irregular in shape, which gives them an organic, free-form character that is hard to find anywhere else. No two are alike, and their brightness makes them a favorite for delicate, everyday pieces. You can see our current selection on our keshi pearls page.

Our carved pearls are hand-selected after harvesting and sent to a highly skilled artist. Each carved pearl is an extremely unique work of art. Carved pearls will not always be available for purchase.

All of our carved pearls are carved by Taumata's nephew, Heifara - so when you own one, you own a piece worked by hand within our own family.

It does, though not in the way people always expect. A perfectly round pearl is the rarest and generally the most valuable, because it is the hardest shape for an oyster to grow. That said, baroque, circle, and keshi pearls are prized in their own right for being completely one-of-a-kind - collectors seek them out precisely because no two are ever the same. Shape is one of several factors we weigh when we sort a harvest. You can read about the others on ourTahitian pearl grading page.

Part of the fun of a farm-direct pearl is that every shape tells you something about how it grew. To learn more about the pearls themselves, read about Tahitian pearls, or explore our collection to find the shape that speaks to you - each one grown by hand in our lagoon.