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Here a glossary of descriptions used.

Abalone and Paua Shell You’ve all probably seen that beautiful, iridescent shell called Abalone.  I’m sure you’ve also seen different colors of Paua shell. I’ve been asked by several people what the difference is between the two. This week we will talk all about Abalone and Paua shells. Abalone belongs to a mollusk Family Haliotidae, Genus Haliotis (meaning “sea ear” because the shape of the shell resembles the human ear). There are about 100-120 different species of abalone worldwide, characterized by the richly colored inside of the shell, also called Mother of Pearl. Abalone are found off the coasts of California, New Zealand, Florida and several islands in the South Pacific. There are approximately 9 species of abalone found off the US Coasts.  The inside of the Abalone shell is mostly silver in color, but with hues ranging from iridescent green and blue to pink. Paua shells are found exclusively in New Zealand, and are a species of abalone but with more intense colors.  Because of the beautiful plays of color found in these shells, they are sometimes referred to as “Sea Opal” or “Marine Opal”.  The natural colors of Paua shell range from greens and pinks, to purples and blues, with gold or crimson tones. The beautiful iridescent colors of the abalone and paua shells make them a great choice for jewelry making.  Even though the natural shells have vibrant colors, some are enhanced by dyeing and protected with a clear cap to make them more durable. Abalone is very soft (2-3 on the Moh’s scale of hardness), and needs to be treated with care to avoid damage. Aventurine Attractive and durable stone composed of quartz. Aventurine often has tiny particles of mica mixed into the quartz, which gives it a subtle sparkle. Aventurine comes in several colors, though the most common is green. Aventurine has an approximate hardness of 7. Carat A unit of weight for precious stones. One carat equals 200 milligrams. There are 5000 carats in a kilogram. Gold fill

A metal product where a layer of gold has been bonded over the top of a base metal like brass. The layer of gold in gold fill is much thicker than that of gold plate. Legally, to be called gold fill, there must be at least 1/20 of the weight of the metal in gold. Gold fill will not rub off like gold plating.  My rolled gold wire is 14/20 so be assured it will last. Karat (K) A unit of measure for the purity of gold, equal to 1/24 part. Pure gold is 24 karat; gold that is 50 percent pure is 12 karat. Osmena Pearl Osmena pearls are made from the curved shell of the nautilus, and then backed with mother of pearl. They make nice pearly cabochons for pendants, rings, and earrings. Rose Quartz Another quartz semi-precious variety. Rose Quartz comes in various shades of pink, from extremely pale to medium pink. Sometimes the darker varieties are dyed. Even undyed Rose Quartz may fade over time with exposure to light. Sterling silver Silver that is .925 percent pure. TCW Total Carat Weight - Weight of all gemstones TURQUOISE Sleeping Beauty - This is the largest mine in North America that is still producing. It is known for it’s solid, light blue color with no matrix Unakite Unakite is a mottled stone that is composed of several minerals including pink feldspar, green epidote and quartz.         Marquis Gems marquisgems@yahoo.com