Mother of Pearl appears in a variety of colors from white to black and nearly every other color in between. The mollusk's genes are in part responsible for the color of the Mother of Pearl. A rainbow-lipped, or black-lipped oyster instinctively creates darker colors, whereas a white-lipped oyster makes lighter colors.

The Nacre (Mother of Pearl) forms in the shells of bi-valve mollusks found in salt and fresh waters from the Great Barrier Reef to the Gulfs of Mexico, Panama and Venezuela.

Luster is a phenomenon used to describe the diffraction of light from the Nacre's surface brilliance together with its inner, deeper radiance. The radiance is the light that is reflected, not just off the surface, but also off the internal layers. A better luster is achieved if the Nacre crystals are uniform and the layers thin and numerous, letting the light diffract uninterrupted. Nacre that has a bright mirror-like finish commands higher prices, whereas cheaper quality Nacre has a low luster appearing dull with a flat finish.

Paua Shell is something that I have been able to find in my travels to Indonesia. Both simple pieces with a protective coating to avoid chipping and more sophisticated pieces set in Bali Sterling Silver. The beautiful shades of aqua stripping, that distinguish this shell from all others, is actually the inside of the edible New Zealand Abalone of the Great Barrier Reef. The green shades of this shell originate from shells in the colder waters of the Gulf of California.

Sumba Shells, one of my favorites, are tiny stripped seashells from the Island of Sumba in Indonesia. These shells were actually purchased by me on the eve of the horrible Christmas tsunami. I use the natural hole of this shell for stringing instead of drilling holes perpendicular to nature. Nor do I add varnish like I have seen in the American markets.

Cultured Freshwater Pearls are now being dyed in a variety of colors so there is no limit to the fashion possibilities.