Abalone shell jewelry is set with pieces cut from the inner layer of the abalone shell, a lining of nacre that turns blue, green, violet and pink as the light moves. The shell is cut into chips or shaped pieces and set in a metal frame. It is natural shell, so no two pieces match exactly.
The word appears on product pages without much explanation. Abalone is not a pearl and not a stone. It is shell, close in kind to mother-of-pearl but darker and more colored. Knowing what it is explains how it looks, how it wears, and why the metal around it matters as much as the shell.
What is abalone shell?
Abalone shell is the nacre lining the inside of the abalone's shell. Nacre is the same material that coats a pearl and lines the shells used for mother-of-pearl. In abalone it grows in layers that bend light, so the surface shifts color with the angle instead of showing one flat shade. The outside of the shell is rough and dull. Only the inner layer is used for jewelry, cut thin and polished. Because the color comes from the structure of the layers, two cuts from the same shell can look different. That is the reason abalone pieces are described by a range of colors rather than one.
How is abalone different from mother-of-pearl?
The two are both nacre, and the difference is color. Mother-of-pearl is usually white, cream or pale gray with a soft sheen. Abalone is darker, with blue, green and violet running through it, and its color moves more as it is turned.
| Material | What it is | Usual color | How it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abalone shell | Nacre lining an abalone shell | Gray to dark, with blue, green, violet and pink | Chips or shaped pieces set in a frame |
| Mother-of-pearl | Nacre lining other shells | White, cream, pale gray | Cut petals, discs and inlays |
| Freshwater cultured pearl | Nacre grown in layers around a core | White, cream, pastel | Drilled or set as a whole bead |
A longer comparison of shell and pearl is in mother-of-pearl vs pearl.
How abalone is set in three pieces
Abalone is set, not crocheted, and each of these pieces says so. The figures here are taken from each product page. The Abalone Flower Earrings are four wide petals, each edged in gold and paved with chips of abalone, gray with flashes of green and violet, around a white pearl bead ringed in small clear stones. Each earring measures 4.5 × 4.5 cm and weighs 13 g, in 18K gold-plated copper on 925 sterling silver posts, strung and set by hand. The Abalone Leaf Earrings are long, narrow leaves, 5.2 × 1.2 cm, with abalone pieces that turn blue, green and pink, held in a smooth frame with a veined back. They are 13 g each, in 18K gold-plated copper or palladium-plated copper. The Molten Shell Ring sinks an uneven piece of shell into a rippled gold band. The Abalone version is dark green. The White Shell version is mother-of-pearl. It weighs 5 g and is open at the back. The shell pieces in this shell collection are all natural, so the color of each one is its own.
Is abalone shell durable?
It is durable enough for earrings and an occasional ring, and softer than stone. Shell can chip at an edge if it is dropped on a hard floor or knocked against a counter, and its polished face can scratch. A frame around each piece protects the edges, which is one reason abalone is usually set in metal rather than worn bare. Rings take more knocks than earrings, so a shell ring is best taken off for washing up, gardening and the gym.
How should abalone jewelry be cared for?
Keep it dry and keep chemicals off it. Shell does not like soaking, and perfume, lotion and cleaning products dull the surface over time. The plating on the frame wants the same care.
Put the piece on after perfume, lotion and hairspray, and take it off first. Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth after wearing. Keep it out of the shower, the pool and the sink. Store it alone in a soft pouch so other pieces cannot scratch the shell.
More on plated metal and water is in our guide to plated jewelry and water.
FAQ
Is abalone shell jewelry heavy?
Shell itself is light, and most of the weight in a piece comes from the metal frame. The two abalone earrings described here weigh 13 g each, which is on the heavier side for an earring. A lighter pair suits a full working day better.
Is abalone shell dyed?
Some abalone sold for jewelry is dyed to deepen the color, and a good product page should say so. The pages for the pieces here list abalone shell as the material and describe the colors seen in it, with no dye listed.
Does abalone shell fade?
The color comes from the layered structure of the nacre, not from a coating, so it does not wash out the way a dye can. Long hours in strong sun and contact with chemicals can dull the polish. Wiping and dry storage keep the surface bright.