White Mother of Pearl - Pinctada Maxima is the highest grade of Mother of Pearl obtainable.
Goldlip Mother of Pearl or Pinctada Maxima is scientifically the same as White M.O.P. only that Gold is taken from the reverse side of the shell. Good quality dark Gold shells come from the waters surrounding the Philippines and parts of Indonesia. Goldlip shells will yield both Gold pieces from the edges as well as colorful white pieces from the inside of the shell. While this gives us two valuable but distinctly different colors, it is not desirable to have both colors showing on the surface of any piece. Goldlip is priced based on depth of color and iridescence.
Blacklip Mother of Pearl or Pinctada Margaritifera is probably one of the most exclusive pearls in demand in today's knife and instrument market. It comes from small shells found in French Polynesia around Tahiti and its Archipelagos. Just under the exterior bark of the shell is where the real beauty of the Blacklip shell lies. Like Goldlip, Blacklip has a black/grey color around the lip of the shell. Also, like Goldlip, Blacklip is priced by the depth of color and iridescence. A nice pair of Blacklip will have every color of the rainbow in its iridescent black background.
Red Abalone or Haliotis Refuscens is a very exclusive material that has a demand much greater than its supply. The Red Abalone shell comes from just off the Northern California/Southern Oregon coast. It's name is a bit deceiving, it isn't red at all but gets its name from the exterior bark which has a very red or pink tint. Most shells are not large enough to yield realistic knife handles. This combined with their tendency to be full of holes created by boring sponges, makes for only about 2% of all abalone harvested worth cutting. Abalone has two areas that are of particular interest to knife makers. First, there is the lip section which has a bulls-eye type pattern where iridescent pools of color blend together in a random larger pattern. Second, the heart section has a tight pattern of different colors and reveals the illusion of depth on the surface. Neither is more expensive than the other; it's only a matter of personal choice. A large pair of abalone will get as large 3" x 1" x 1/8" and if it has good quality will cost as much as $100.00. Other abalones include Blue-Green Paua from New Zealand, Awabi from Japan, and Green abalone from Mexico and Southern California. Most of these rarely get large enough to make a full exposed handle and are primarily used for interframes or inlays.
Pink Freshwater Pearl is found in lakes in the Mid-Western United States. Large Pink Pearl is a diminishing resource. Unlike the saltwater pearls, Pink Pearl doesn't have a lot of iridescence. It has a pale pink color. Large pieces can range anywhere from 2" x 3/4" x .100" to 3" x 1" x 1/8". Pink Pearl is priced by the square inch. For example, a nice matched pair of Pink Pearl, 3" x 1" x 1/8" will cost approximately $65.00.
| composition | calcium carbonate |
|---|---|
| other accepted names | mop |
| color | nacre-formed iridescence |
| color source | from light being refracted within the crystal layers of the shell, as well as diet and genetic factors |
| significant sources | ocean and river waters of the world |
| MOH scale | 2.5 |
| care and treatment |
Mother-of-pearl is a soft organic substance which can easily get scratched. Clean with a mild soap. Do not expose to harsh detergents or chemicals. Do not clean in ultra sonic jewelry cleaner. |
SOME MOTHER OF PEARL IS DYED, COATED AND BLEACHED TO ADD COLOR
All sellers should disclose all information they have regarding treatment, if they do not know they should disclose that no knowledge of enhancement was given by original vendor and offer normal enhancement information for the buyers regardless.
Last Update: 23 Sep 2008