Seattle Bellevue
Sign In

Abalone

ab·​a·​lo·​ne | a-bə-ˈlō-nē

noun

A deposit made from inside a seashell

Abalone derives from any category of minute to immense sea snails, and saltwater gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae. Oftentimes, these snails are found in cold waters. Typically, abalone is collected in areas such as South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, North America, and Australia, and is roughly 75,000 years old. Abalone jewelry is largely favored because each piece is distinctive, coming in various shapes, styles, forms, cuts, and colors. Whilst pearl and natural stones provide characteristic facades and shapes, each abalone shell is unalike. For instance, some abalone is made in the natural form, while others are polished and re-shaped.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z