What Is Abalone Jewelry?
Abalone is an edible marine mollusk that is sought after for a wide variety of reasons from consumption to decorative purposes. It is highly regarded as a delicacy when eaten, and luxurious when worn for adornment or used as decor. Abalone comes in various colors such as red, black, green and white. Does this Spark an idea?
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Geography
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Abalone is ordinarily found in the cold ocean waters of several regions, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and parts of the Western United States.
Resilience
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The abalone shell is unusually strong due to its unique formation and structure. This strength makes abalone shells a durable, and virtually eternal jewelry piece. Scientists also are studying the abalone shell composition with the possibilty of designing human body armor based on its strength.
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Harvesting
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Several countries in the world are harvesting hot spots for many types of abalone. New Zealand and Australia are responsible for about 25 percent of the world harvesting of abalone. Areas like California in the United States and South Africa attract divers and treasure hunters searching for abalone, but there are strict regulations on harvesting due to the rapid depletion of the most desired white abalone.
Domestication
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Domestic farming and harvesting of abalone began in Japan and China in the late 1950's and early 1960s. The practice has grown and spread worldwide, including to the United States, Mexico, South Africa, Ireland and Iceland.
Adornments
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Since discovering the beauty of abalone, people have used its shimmering shell for personal adornment items such as buttons and pendants. Abalone is known as "Mother of Pearl," and each shell produces its own, unique pattern.
White Abalone
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White abalone is perhaps the most desired of the abalone types due to its beautiful pattern of varied shades of ivory and pearl. It is found in the Channel Islands of California, and is becoming an endangered species due to its overharvesting.
Nacre
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Iridescent nacre is the substance known as Mother of Pearl, and it is what makes the abalone shell a beautiful jewelry piece. Nacre is found in other mollusks, such as oysters and the nautilus, but is predominantly found in abalone.
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