Abalone (a.k.a paua) is a sea mollusk or sea snails that are often used in cooking, but once the meat is removed, its shell can be used in jewelry making. The thick inner layer of the shell is mostly composed of 'mother of pearl', and is iridescent with hues of green, blue and purple that are very appealing to jewelry enthusiasts.
Abalone is mostly sourced in coastal cold waters of New Zealand, Japan, South Africa and the west coast of the U.S. Abalone is an endangered species in many parts of the world, and consequently there has been an increase in farm abalone.
Historically, abalone was used in Chinese and Native Indian cultures as currency and incense burners. Today, abalone jewelry is very popular in New Zealand and Australia.
Think about it, abalone is a living organism, so it is safe to assume that no two abalone pieces will match exactly, even if they come in a pair of earrings! The colors and patterns within the shell are unique to that animal, or that area of the shell, yet its just as beautiful.
Caring for your Abalone piece:
When you purchase an Abalone piece from us, we also seal our stones to ensure it holds up to water, soaps and regular wear and tear because we want our customers to be able wear our jewelry daily. We offer mostly crushed abalone stones in our designs. Abalone is a very soft material, because its technically not a gem 'stone', its a shell. We recommend avoiding leaving your jewelry in the sunlight for extended periods of time and avoid making scratches to the piece by using paper towels to dry your jewelry. Use microfiber towels, such as the ones we provide to dry your piece. Our article on cleaning your jewelry at home gives other tips as well for silver and bronze jewelry.
Check our shop to see if your favorite piece is offered in abalone!