Paua jewelry is quite contemporary and comes all the way from New Zealand. It is very like the American abalone shell, but has a more vibrant green hue. Paua has a long history and due to its beauty was used by the Maori and also European settlers in New Zealand for jewellery and decoration. Paua jewellery was always a favourite choice but more recently its appeal has widened.


If you are lucky enough to be visiting New Zealand then you are sure to pick up a wonderful and contemporary piece of Paua jewelry. There has been a rise in the numbers of paua shell designers and this type of jewelry is very desirable. Paua originates from a species of abalone called the Haliotis iris, found only in the seas around New Zealand. This mollusc is the most colourful specimen
in the abalone family. The colours can range from green to pink, purple, blue and some even have a gold or red hue. This shell is similar in properties to the mother of pearl, in that, when viewed under different light sources it changes colour and reflects light differently.


Traditionally Paua shell has been used to make Paua jewelry such as pendants, earrings, bracelets and hair clips. Paua however, also produces stunning pearls. These pearls are farmed in much the same way as cultured pearls are produced in much of Asia today. Due to the reflective quality of this shell it looks stunning in any type of jewelry, but perhaps, especially so in jewellery that will catch the light, like pendants or hair clips. Jewelry made from paua shell is less expensive than Paua pearls and can have the same impact.