Judging quality
Genuine nacre feels slightly gritty against a tooth edge and shows fine parallel growth lines under magnification. Plastic imitations are perfectly smooth and warm.
Organic
Mother of Pearl
The nacre lining of pearl oysters and freshwater mussels, cut into plates and cabochons. A soft silvery-white with a slow moving sheen rather than the hard flash of abalone.
Care
Avoid acid, perfume and ultrasonics. Wipe with a damp cloth and dry immediately.
History & lore
Nacre inlay runs through Ottoman furniture, Vietnamese lacquerware and Japanese raden work, all exploiting the same trick of stacked aragonite.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Mother of Pearl
- What is Mother of Pearl?
- The nacre lining of pearl oysters and freshwater mussels, cut into plates and cabochons. A soft silvery-white with a slow moving sheen rather than the hard flash of abalone.
- How hard is Mother of Pearl and what is it made of?
- Mother of Pearl is a Organic-family mineral with the composition CaCO3 (nacre). It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and rates 2.5-4 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in white, cream, iridescent.
- Where does Mother of Pearl come from?
- Notable localities for Mother of Pearl include Philippines, Australia, Tahiti, Mississippi River, USA.
- How do you tell good Mother of Pearl from filler?
- Genuine nacre feels slightly gritty against a tooth edge and shows fine parallel growth lines under magnification. Plastic imitations are perfectly smooth and warm.
- How do you care for Mother of Pearl?
- Avoid acid, perfume and ultrasonics. Wipe with a damp cloth and dry immediately.
Related stones
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.