Mother of Pearl

Mother of Pearl hand cut and polished. Set in .925 Silver.

Necklace is 18"

Center stone is approximately 1.75" x 1.25"

Mother of pearl, also known as nacre, is a natural, iridescent, organic-inorganic composite material produced by some mollusks. It is found in the inner shell layers of many mollusks, including oysters, abalones, freshwater pearl mussels, and snails.

Mother of pearl is formed when a mollusk secretes layers of nacre to protect itself from irritants, such as sand, that enter its shell. Over time, these layers form a pearl-shaped structure. The thin layer of nacre that lines the inner shell of the mollusk is mother of pearl.

In ancient Mesopotamia, the inner lining of mollusk shells was used for ornamentation as early as 2600 B.C.