Paua Grades

Choosing the best shells for your project

Chatham Island and mainland New Zealand Paua / Abalone shell grades

Explore our Chatham Islands and mainland New Zealand pāua shell grades to find the right shell for your project. Grades vary in size, colour, thickness and finish, with options suited to jewellery, inlay, decorative work and display. Each shell has its own natural markings and iridescent colours, making every piece unique.

Grade: J1H

ORIGIN	Chatham Islands
SHELLS PER KG	6-7
SHELL SIZE	13-16cm
COLOUR	Best blue / green paua colour
THICKNESS	Trophy Shells. The thickest best coloured shell available.
QUALITY	Top 1-2% of Chatham Shells
USES	Trophy or specimen shell Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor Furniture inlay

Grade: J1

ORIGIN	Chatham Islands
SHELLS PER KG	6-7
SHELL SIZE	13-16cm
COLOUR	Excellent blue / green colour
THICKNESS	1.5-2.5mm
QUALITY	The best 5-10% of Chatham Shells
USES	Trophy or specimen shell Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay

Grade: J2H

ORIGIN	Chatham Islands
SHELLS PER KG	6-7
SHELL SIZE	13-16cm
COLOUR	Good blue / green colour to backside after slicing. Blue / grey inside.
THICKNESS	1.5-2.5mm
QUALITY	Thicker shells. Some worm. Sometimes more lime coating to backside.
USES	Jewellery Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Mosaic tile Tumbling or chip

Grade: KAA

ORIGIN	Chatham Islands
SHELLS PER KG	9-10
SHELL SIZE	12.5-16cm, 90% 13-14cm
COLOUR	Good blue / green colour
THICKNESS	0.8-1.5mm
QUALITY	Some wormhole, all whole shells, but occasional broken edges. Approx 55-65% of all Chathams Islands paua.
USES	Jewellery Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Mosaic tile Button blanks Tumbling or chip

Grade: L2

ORIGIN	Chatham Islands
SHELLS PER KG	9-11
SHELL SIZE	12.5-15cm
COLOUR	Grey inside, blue colour on backside after grinding lime
THICKNESS	0.8-1.5mm
QUALITY	More worm, <20% broken shells, disease or growths to inside heel.
USES	Jewellery Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Tumbling or chip

Grade: JAA

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	3-4
SHELL SIZE	13.5-17.5cm
COLOUR	Best blue / green / crimson inside and the backside after grinding.
THICKNESS	2-3mm
QUALITY	Limited worm to the backside, no diseases / growths to inside heel. Minimal, if any ripple.
USES	Trophy or specimen shell Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor

Grade: JM

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	4-5
SHELL SIZE	13-17cm
COLOUR	Best blue/green/crimson inside and the backside after grinding
THICKNESS	2-3mm
QUALITY	Limited worm to the backside, no diseases / growths to inside heel. Minimal, if any ripple.
USES	Trophy or specimen shell Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor

Grade: JL

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	6-7
SHELL SIZE	12.5-16cm
COLOUR	Best blue / green / crimson inside and the backside after grinding
THICKNESS	1.5-2.5mm
QUALITY	Limited worm to the backside, no diseases / growths to inside heel. Minimal, if any ripple.
USES	Trophy or specimen shell Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay

Grade: JBH/SD

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	3-5
SHELL SIZE	13-17.5 cm
COLOUR	Greyish blue / green / crimson. Backside after grinding good colour.
THICKNESS	2-3mm
QUALITY	Limited worm to the backside, no disease / growths to inside heel. Minimal, if any ripple. Generally good yield of blue / green / crimson coloured shell after grinding the backside.
USES	Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay

Grade: JBH

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	3-5
SHELL SIZE	13-17cm
COLOUR	Best blue / green / crimson inside and the backside after grinding.
THICKNESS	2-3mm
QUALITY	Includes shells with disease / growths to inside heel. Wormhole to the backside.
USES	Jewellery Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay

Grade: JT

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	6-7
SHELL SIZE	12.5-16cm
COLOUR	Best blue / green / crimson inside and the backside after grinding.
THICKNESS	1-2mm
QUALITY	Limited worm to the backside, no disease / growths to inside heel. Minimal, if any ripple. Thinner and more ripple.
USES	Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Button blanks

Grade: JB

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	6-7
SHELL SIZE	12.5-16cm
COLOUR	Best blue / green / crimson inside and the backside after grinding.
THICKNESS	1-2mm
QUALITY	Includes shells with disease / growths to inside heel or wormhole to the backside.
USES	Jewellery Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Button blanks

Grade: JB/SD

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	6-7
SHELL SIZE	12.5-16cm
COLOUR	Greyish blue / green / crimson. Backside after grinding good colour.
THICKNESS	1-2mm
QUALITY	Limited worm on the backside, no disease / growths to inside heel. Minimal. If any ripple. Generally good yield of blue / green / crimson colour after grinding the backside.
USES	Jewellery Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Button blanks Tumbling or chip

Grade: TA

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	8-9
SHELL SIZE	12.5-14.5cm
COLOUR	Good blue / green / crimson often with creamy young growth to the outside edge.
THICKNESS	1-2mm
QUALITY	Limited worm to the backside, no disease / growths to inside heel. Minimal, if any ripple.
USES	Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Mosaic tile Button blanks Tumbling or chip

Grade: KA

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	10-11
SHELL SIZE	12.5-15cm
COLOUR	Best blue / green / crimson inside and the backside after grinding.
THICKNESS	0.8-1.5mm
QUALITY	Limited worm to the backside, < 10% growths to inside heel. Generally younger, clean backed shell. Suitable for cutting and inlay or slicing for shell sheet. Often the clean inside surface of KA is used as the visible surface. Thinner nature of shell limits the grinding out of wormhole on the backside.
USES	Jewellery Polished shell Ornamental and décor Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Mosaic tile Button blanks Tumbling or chip

Grade: KB

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	10-11
SHELL SIZE	12.5-14.5cm
COLOUR	80-90% good blue / green / crimson, 10-20% tending grey or half dead.
THICKNESS	0.8-1.5mm
QUALITY	More worm. 30-40% have growths to inside heel. Thickness and other characteristics similar to KA.
USES	Jewellery Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Mosaic tile Tumbling or chip

Grade: KGB

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	10-11
SHELL SIZE	12.5-14.5cm
COLOUR	All grey, half dead, showing occasional natural blue/green colour in parts
THICKNESS	0.8-1.5mm
QUALITY	Worm to backside. 20-30% have growths to inside heel.
USES	Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Tumbling or chip

Grade: DD

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	5-6
SHELL SIZE	13.5-16.5cm
COLOUR	All grey (half dead or darker dead)
THICKNESS	2-3mm
QUALITY	Worm, 40-50% with disease / growths to the inside shell.
USES	Jewellery Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Tumbling or chip

Grade: KC

ORIGIN	Mainland New Zealand
SHELLS PER KG	8-12
SHELL SIZE	12.5-15cm or broken
COLOUR	80-90% grey (or dead).
THICKNESS	0.8-1.5mm
QUALITY	Scrap or lowest grade. The most wormy, thin or diseased shells. Up to 70% broken shells. This will vary, some bags less than 10 - 20% broken.
USES	Slicing for sheet and veneer Furniture inlay Tumbling or chip

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