Mother of Pearl Jewellery

What is Mother of Pearl?

Mother of pearl has fascinated peoples of various cultures for thousands of years. Royalty used to entertain themselves with beautiful jewellery. The flappers in the ’20s wore huge pearl necklaces. Even today we wear pearls, use it in mosaics and for decoration, even if it’s a bit tamer than the old styles. We know it’s stunning, but what exactly mother of pearl?

Under the Sea

Mother of pearl finds its origins in molluscs. Certain members of this underwater phylum secrete nacre, iridescent material that helps keep the molluscs safe from debris and potentially life threatening parasites. The molluscs essentially bury any parasites under layer upon layer of nacre through a process known as encystation.

Pearls then form either within the mollusc’s mantle tissues or attached to the inside of the shell. Encystation continues throughout its life, each subsequent layer increasing the size of the pearl until its eventual death.

Many molluscs form pearls, but very few create anything worthwhile. Pearl oysters and abalone can produce pearls which have been highly sought after in the past. Any oddities in shape or size are praised, as they can help form a piece of mother of pearl jewellery that is intensely original.

So We Have Mother of Pearl . . . Now What?

Mother of pearl is used in many different ways, thanks to its incredible beauty. First off, it comes in numerous colors naturally, and even more possibilities exist for those able to dye the nacre. It’s used as decoration in musical instruments, marble, ceramics, and furniture, frequently polished with gloss to delightful effect.

Jewellery has of course been the primary attraction when it comes to mother of pearl. Its shimmering body and multi-colored facets are alluring like candy for the eyes. It’s been used in watches, necklaces, rings, pendants, earrings, and more, sometimes as background and sometimes as aesthetically pleasing inlays.

Final Thoughts

Mother of pearl has traditionally been a symbol of good luck, wealth, love, purity and fertility, depending on who you ask. According to the Chinese, if you wear mother of pearl, you will attract fortune. This is no doubt due to the wealthy’s long preoccupation with mother of pearl, but at the same time, it’s not hard to feel the same draw to a beautiful piece of jewellery made from mother of pearl.