Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Paua Shell

Paua, New Zealand’s largest iridescent nacreous abalone has been known under a variety of pseudonyms, such as rainbow abalone, opal of the sea, sea ear, mutton fish, and Venus looking glass. Experts believe the strong iridescence in paua shell is due to diffraction + the diffraction color (s) are dependent on the thickness of the aragonite platelets.

Paua shell is routinely color enhanced by dyeing to hide commonly seen brownish patches. Visual observation may indicate the distinctive iridescent patterns of Paua shell, but if in doubt always consult a reputed expert or gem testing laboratory.

Paua
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paua

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