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Puka, Cowrie and Mother of Pearl Shell Necklaces

A shell necklace may be a fashionable accessory but it is also one of the oldest forms of jewelry and one of the earliest types of money. Shell jewelry has been found in some of the oldest fossilized burial grounds.

We’ve moved a long way from using shells to pay for the bare essentials, but today shells are still being used for ornamental jewelry. Some of the more popular shells used to adorn necklaces include the puka shell, cowrie shell and mother of pearl.

Puka shell necklaces usually come from Hawaii, puka is the Hawaiian word for ‘hole’. They are named so because they have a hole in the middle. If you are planning on purchasing a puka shell necklace, beware of imitations. There are a lot of white colored bracelets and necklaces that claim to be puka shell that are actually made of clam. It is relatively easy to tell the difference as puka shells are round and you can see the holes in the middle are natural looking. The clam shells will have more of a square shape and the hole will look like it has been drilled.

A cowrie shell necklace would have been an expensive piece of jewelry in ancient times because cowrie shells were often used as money. Later on, they were also used as ornaments, brooches and necklaces. Cowries were also believed by many ancient cultures to possess special magical properties. In parts of the South Pacific, they were thought to help with fertility and were worn on the skirts of young women. Cowrie shells are originally the home of a small snail like creature.

A mother of pearl necklace is likely to be the more expensive type of shell necklace. Mother of pearl is actually the lustrous interior found in the interior of oyster and mussel shells. This organic gemstone is also thought to possess various magical properties. Some cultures have used mother of pearl as a talisman and it has been associated with bringing wealth and riches.

Taking Care of you Shell Necklace

Shell is very fragile so always store your shell necklace in a soft pouch or box away from other gemstones.

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