Virtually every color in the rainbow.
Consumer Information
What color is it?: Virtually every color in the rainbow.
What is the story behind this gemstone?: Shells are the oldest form of jewelry...and money for that manner. Shells
decorations have been found as jewelry in the oldest known burial grounds. Today there are a number of types of shells
still being used as ornamental jewelry. Most common is the mother of pearl shell material taken from the inner lining of
oyster shells as shown.
Can I wear it everyday?: Well....sure why not. Unless you have something very rare there is a fairly good supply of
almost every kind of shell used in jewelry.
Is it expensive?: Generally no. But there are always exceptions.
Is it a birthstone?: No.
What do I need to know before going shopping?: Nothing. Shells are used from everything from the inexpensive puka
necklaces of the 1970's, to mother of pearl inlays on fairly expensive jewelry used today. But since there is very little use of
imitations, other than plastic which is fairly easy to identify, there is just not much to worry about with shell jewelry.
General Information
Abalone shell buttons shown above.
Source: World Wide
Chemical: CaCo3 (calcium carbonate or aragonite just like pearls and what else......TUMS)
Formation: Well.....as shells for sea creatures.
Crystal System: None
Unusual Properties: Several including orient and play of color (well....sort of)
Gemological Information
Mother-of-pearl from the inside lining of an oyster shell shown.
RI: 1.52 - 1.56 varies the same of pearls
Birefringence: .014 but again varies
Optic Character: None
Specific Gravity: 2.60 - 2.78 + -
Hardness: 3 - 4
Transparency: Translucent to Opaque
Special Identifying Properties and Tests: Gritty to the teeth test, separated from plastic by flow lines and concave
surfaces of plastic.
Synthetics: None.
Imitations: Many possible with plastics
Courtesy:www.yourgemologist.com
