White Mother of Pearl (Pinctada maxima)
The provenance story of the White Mother of Pearl shell begins in the remote crystal clear turquoise waters of Northern Australia, nurturing and growing the sought after White South Sea Pearls.
The lustrous pearly white colour of the shells reflect the pristine natural environment in which they are formed and shells from this area are renowned to have the purest white colouring.
Traditionally used for Mother of Pearl buttons, this shell has more recently been used for high quality watch dials and jewellery. It is also now used in interior decor in the form of shell sheets and veneers and shell mosaic tiles and panels.
Whole Shell White Mother of Pearl
White Mother of Pearl information
The Pinctada Maxima oyster is the largest and rarest of all the pearl oysters. The shells are bred in a hatchery, before being taken to the pearl farms. Most shells will have produced two or three pearls in their life time before they are harvested. This product has a strong story of sustainability, utilising a valuable by-product of the pearling industry, there are no concerns surrounding over harvesting and exploitation.
The shell is produced from the same natural lustrous material as the pearl itself, called nacre. When the layers of pure white nacre catch the light, the pearlescent qualities of this oyster allow the eye to see subtle pinks among the shells strong natural white lustre.
The global financial crisis in 2008 meant the demand for pearls reduced rapidly causing some farms to close, and the shell harvest decreased by about 50%. The shells have become sought after for use by jewellers, watch dial makers, furniture makers, interior and fashion designers.
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Ocean Shell is the world’s leading shell materials business. We are proud to introduce our Luméa range of natural eco-ethical shell materials.
We supply to wholesale and commercial customers around the globe.
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Your project is unique, so we provide personalised advice before delivering worldwide from our studio in New Zealand.
Luméa products are made from natural shell with a variety of factors that affect form and function. If you can’t find the right product from within our range, then talk to us about our custom design service. We love to experiment and collaborate with our partners to create unique solutions.