Abalone

Is the name for edible sea snails that come in various sizes from small to very large. They are famous for inner layer of their shells which feature mother-of-pearl luminescent swirls of colour, ranging from peacock green and deep cobalt blue through pinks, creams and purples. These have been used throughout history for jewellery, buttons as an inlay in furniture and to decorate other objects.

Abalone jewellery is particularly popular in New Zealand and Australia where there is a rich supply of larger molluscs with particularly iridescent shells.