Abalone Jewelry

I use Abalone as one of the types of shells in my shell jewelry to make hand sculpted pendants, earrings, beads, and charms in my Beach Jewelry Line. I get my shells for my Abalone jewelry from my family members, who enjoy the diving; the battle against the raging seas to pry them from their rocks, and then the feast after.  This is a rare shell in Central California because of their limited numbers, short harvesting season, and that it is a highly sought after food delicacy. I use Red, Pink, Green and Black Abalone varieties when available. The name just references the color of the outer shell, which in turn, affects its inner iridescent hues. In New Zealand there is a bluer variety that the locals call Paua (this is the most common in the jewelry market). The term Mother-of-Pearl" is used occasionally in relation to Abalone jewelry, when referencing the iridescent "pearly" inner section of the shell, but in all actuality  "the mother of the pearl" is the Oyster ! In some cases they can have similar hues to the inside of their shell.  The Abalone, though, in my opinion is far more striking in its vivid variety of colors! 

NOTE: Abalone, however, is a highly toxic shell when cutting into, sanding, and grinding. You must use a highly protective breathing mask. Because of the rarity, the hazards in harvesting, and the dangers in manufacturing, legitimate Abalone products will be more expensive!  There are fabricated Abalone look-a-likes out there that are very cheap to come by, that are dyed into a variety of colors, but in my opinion also look cheap!  So buyer beware, know the difference as a consumer, AND whenever possible support your local American industry. China, Indonesia, and the Philippines do not have the same laws governing Abalone harvesting, and their workers' labor also comes cheap.