Nacre jewelry is the product of the most beautiful and iridescent layers; internally found in the shells of shellfish, oysters and seashells; also called “Mother of Pearl”. This element is a “biomineral” in combination with organic molecules produced by living organisms and ingesting the mineral components of the environment.
The aragonite mineral that has the substance is one of the crystalline forms of calcium carbonate, formed by aquatic animals with the help of natural ingredients of the marine world.
The colors are differentiated according to the territorial origin by species; ranging from white, gray, green, pink and purple. There are varieties such as abalone has a flattened form, inside which is all the shiny substance; nautilus species also have this diversity.
The best nacre comes from mollusks, such as snails and oysters located in tropical seas; particularly in areas such as the Philippines, Australia, the South Seas, Baja California and Panama.
Going back to the history of jewelry from ancient times, we can say that several centuries before the Christian era, was discovered in China, putting little figures into a living mollusk, you could get in a short time a coating of nacre in these figures. These were figures symbolizing deities, to which was pay tribute, confident that could bring luck and fortune to people who possess them.
Many civilizations, including the Romans, Iberians and Egyptians used this beautiful and fragile material to decorate sword handles, and was generally use in religious symbols. In the eighteenth century, we could see the influence it had on decorations such as chandeliers, jewelry and frames of famous paintings.
At the time of the reign of Elizabeth I of England, it was commercially sought after for making a wide range of jewelry; and early in the second decade of the twentieth century, the Tombs of Babylon were found with a wonderful treasure in gold, silver, pearls, gemstones and beautiful ornaments covered with nacre.
Then it was widely used in decorative inlays, lacquered wooden objects and furniture, musical instruments, fans, cutlery handles, tobacco or simply to make buttons. The trade of Mother of Pearl, underwent a drastic change in the mid-twentieth century, when it began manufacturing plastic materials, changing the nature of the products. On the YouTube channel Bedido fashion, enjoy a display of necklaces made from nacre shells, made using traditional methods in Philippines.
It is indisputable that the pearl has been used for thousands of years in the manufacture of jewelry, various decorative objects and works of art. Currently the modernity and beauty of its designs are demanded in jewelry with exclusive models made by the most renowned goldsmiths, to the most exquisite garments made in traditional way.
ALFA