Shell jewelry is a unique and beautiful way to express one’s love of the sea and the natural world. It can be made with many types of shells, including the mother-of-pearl layer of mollusk shells, the tusk shell of a large tortoise and the operculum of some sea snails (Nassarius). The colorful, exotic colors emanating from these natural materials make this style of jewelry very attractive.
The most common type of shells used in Hawaiian shell necklaces is the puka shell. Puka is a genus of shells with a very distinctive “eye-like” marking on the front and a spiral growth on the back. This mollusk shell is associated with ocean and moon energy, creativity, and emotional healing and balance.
There are many different types of traditional shell jewelry from various Pacific cultures. Traditionally, these were made using neolithic tools and materials found in nature, such as shells, bones, teeth, bush fiber, feathers, stone and wood.
For example, the tusk shell of the large hawksbill turtle is prized for its multicolored marbled patterns and was historically used to make a form of currency called wampum. Tortoise shell, also used in ornamentation, is now very rare and has been replaced by synthetic shells.
Shell jewelry has been worn by humans throughout history and research in prehistoric caves in Africa have unearthed shell beads believed to be the earliest known pieces of jewellery. More recently, the shells of clams, cowrie snails, and other non-marine mollusks have been used to create shell necklaces and bracelets. Shell jewelry
