Milky and iridescent, mother of pearl is one of the most ethereal materials ever to be birthed from mother nature. Mother of pearl is formed inside the shells of mollusks, this nacre has been harvested and set into various pieces of jewelry for hundreds of years. Yet, its beauty holds a unique symbolic history that can gift wearers with balance, wealth and good luck.
Nacre also known as mother of pearl, is an organic–inorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer; it is also the material of which pearls are composed. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent.
Mother of pearl is found in some of the most ancient lineages of bivalves, gastropods, and cephalopods. However, the inner layer in the great majority of mollusc shells is porcellaneous, not nacreous, and this usually results in a non-iridescent shine, or more rarely in non-nacreous iridescence such as flame structure as is found in conch pearls.
The outer layer of cultured pearls and the inside layer of pearl oyster and freshwater pearl mussel shells are made of nacre (mother of pearl) . Other mollusc families that have a nacreous inner shell layer include marine gastropods such as the Haliotidae, the Trochidae and the Turbinidae.
Ancient cultures attributed different meanings and spiritual purposes to the materials from their natural world, and according to the tenets of feng shui, mother of pearl symbolizes good luck and prosperity. Wearing jewelry made with mother of pearl will attract wealth to the person wearing it. Due to this, nacre accessories have been gifted to people as tokens of good luck.
It is believed that mother of pearl has a profound calming quality that many wearers benefit from. The mother of pearl mixes with the fluctuations of your emotions to bring one back to a centered place hence better mental engagement aiding clear communication of thoughts and feelings. All qualities that Mother’s need to thrive and be their best versions of themselves for their little ones.
Mothers Day is the perfect time of year to celebrate Mom with the gift of a mother of pearl charm, pendant or bracelet to add to her daily stack.
From our Samira 13 family to yours, happy Mothers Day.
Photographed: Samira following the birth of her daughter in 2019.