The Smoke Pearl appeared some time after 1964. The coat is pale grey over the back and sides and the colour extends down to the roots. The tips of the hairs are black although pale Smoke Pearls may only have a small amount of black tips. The fur on the belly is ivory in colour and the grey colouring of the back extends in a line across the chest. Along the side of each cheek there is a indistinct black "cheekflash" which extends from under the chin up towards the ears and the ivory belly colour extends upwards below the cheekflash. The eyes are black and the ears are dark grey. Young Smoke Pearls are often pale grey in colour but as the hamster matures the dark tips become more evident.

The Smoke Pearl can be combined with any coat type and pattern to produce varieties such as Long Haired Smoke Pearl, Smoke Pearl Banded, etc.

For the show bench the Smoke Pearl should be pale grey with neither too little nor too much black ticking, but should have a light amount of ticking distributed evenly over the back.

Due to the Dark Grey gene present Smoke Pearls can be prone to spinal deformities which show in the form of a kinked or curled tail. Any Smoke Pearl showing this deformity should not be bred from as it is inherited.