Pearls and glamour go hand in hand. There's nothing like a pearl necklace or bracelet to make you feel instantly put-together. Most of us are familiar with classic pearls, but what about mother of pearl? This natural material comes with a mysterious iridescent colour, bringing a luminous touch to your jewellery. Our guide shares all you need to know about mother of pearl jewellery. Learn how it's made, how to care for it and the jewellery styles available at Pandora.
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How is mother of pearl made?
Pandora's mother of pearl is created when skilled farmers insert an irritant into the shell of a mollusc. The mollusc will then start to create layer upon layer of mother of pearl to protect itself. During this process, a pearl is also created. Because the nacre essentially "gives birth" to the pearl, it was poetically named "mother of pearl".
After the mother of pearl is cut from the shell, it's sometimes bleached to produce a uniform shade of white or dyed a range of attractive colours. It's also lightly polished to accentuate the pearlescent effect.
Mother of pearl is often cut into fancy shapes for use in jewellery designs. The shaping can either be done by hand or using modern laser-cutting technology (CNC).
What gives mother of pearl its colour?
Natural mother of pearl has a platelet structure which reflects light waves and produces its famous iridescent sheen. Mother of pearl can be virtually any colour, often light in tone with a pearly lustre.
Pandora mother of pearl jewellery
Wear enchanting iridescent colours every day with our mother of pearl jewellery, created using natural or bioresin man-made mother of pearl. Crafted with care, these statement pieces dress up even the most casual looks.
Looking for the perfect gift for your Gemini or Cancer friends? This material makes the ideal June birth month jewellery gift.
How to wear mother of pearl jewellery
Whether you're a minimalist or love the lavish side of life, we've got you covered with our styling tips:
Modern maximalism
Want to harness the power of mother of pearl to make a style statement? We suggest stacking multiple mother of pearl pieces for a showstopping combination.
How to clean and care for mother of pearl jewellery
The best way to keep your mother of pearl jewellery looking shiny and new is by taking good care of it. We recommend these steps:
Read our jewellery cleaning guides for more expert care advice.
Ready to infuse your everyday jewellery wardrobe with the beauty of pearls? Explore the latest Pandora pieces on our New In page.