Paua Shell (Abalone)

Item Description

Paua is the Maori name given to three species of large edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs which belong to the family Haliotidae (there is only genus Haliotis). These are often referred to as abalone in the United States and Australia, and in the United Kingdom as ormer shells. It's one of the most popular shells used for jewelry, and arguably the New Zealand material is the most intensely colored. This material belongs to the group of organic collectible gems like Coral and Amber. This stone has deep saturated iridescent coloration consisting of rich blues, greens, violets and golds set against a black background. It has an "Oval Cabochon" cut, with a Quartz "cap" over the top to help allow the color to come through. A good sized stone of this colorful and rare material.