Paua is the species of abalone shell (Haliotis iris) found only in the cold waters of southern New Zealand. The coloring varies from
shell to shell and has an amazing iridescence. The lighting in
the photo above does not do justice to the array of colors found in these
pieces. The pieces vary in size and shape and come from shells
that have been tumbled to a natural, satin, or high gloss finish. Please note that there will be
some degree of broken or chipped shells. If you only need a small
quantity, our Packaged Paua Shells
may be an alternative.
The government of New Zealand strictly controls the
harvesting of abalone for food. The shells are a natural
by-product.
There are many uses for the tumbled pieces.
They are
great for inlay work. They can be put in the bottom of an aquarium
or fountain for decoration. They can be used for jewelry. Some
pieces have the natural holes found on the edge of the shell and are nice
on jewelry or leather bags. You will need to drill the shell under
water. Do not breathe shell dust. This is very hard on your
lungs.
PLEASE NOTE: We do NOT sort within the size. You will get an assortment of pieces within the size range when ordering by the code. For example, if you order R-565-TPSS, you will get assorted pieces between 15 to 25 mm in size.
| Order Code |
Description |
Size |
Price |
| R-565-TPNU-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Natural:Unsorted |
20-80 mm (~0.79-3.15") |
Buy on NaturalExotics.com |
| |
|
|
| R-565-TPSU-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Unsorted |
20-80 mm (~0.79-3.15") |
| R-565-TPSXF-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Extra-Fine |
2-5 mm (~0.08-0.20") |
| R-565-TPSF-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Fine |
5-15 mm (~0.20-0.59") |
| R-565-TPSS-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Small |
15-25 mm (~0.59-0.98") |
| R-565-TPSM-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Medium |
25-40 mm (~0.98-1.57") |
| R-565-TPSL-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Large |
40-65 mm (~1.57-2.56") |
| R-565-TPSXL-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Extra-Large |
60+ mm (~2.36"+) |
| R-565-TPDU-SK-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Spikes |
1- 4" long, 1/8-1/4" diameter |
| R-565-TPDU-FN-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Fans |
1-3" long, 1/2-1" wide |
| R-565-TPDU-PP-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Premium |
2-4" |
| |
|
|
| R-565-TPGDS-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Gloss:Drilled:Small |
<10 mm (~<0.4") |
| R-565-TPGDM-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Gloss:Drilled:Medium |
10-15 mm (~0.39-0.59") |
| R-565-TPGDL-AS |
Paua Shell Pieces:Gloss:Drilled:Large |
15-25 mm (~0.59-0.98") |
Natural Pieces - These are tumbled pieces without the polished (satin) finish. They have a more rustic look.
Satin Finish Pieces - These are tumbled to a polished finish. They are available in assorted sizes. The satin finish pieces are good quality shell pieces that tend to be thicker than the gloss finish shells. They are processed with cream and corn grit.
Spikes - Edge pieces that are about 1/8 to
1/4" (0.32-0.64 cm) in diameter and are anywhere from 1" to about 4"
long (2.5-10 cm). In a random sample, we had 142 pieces in one pound (giving an
average cost of US$0.65 each). These are tumbled with a polished finish.
Fans - Edge pieces similar to the spikes, but have
part of the thinner main body shell pieces extending from the spike.
Sizes range from 1" to 3" (2.5-7.6 cm) long and usually part of the piece
will be 1/2" to 1" wide (1.3-2.5 cm). In a random sample, we had 61
pieces in one pound (giving an average cost of US$1.51 each). These are tumbled with a polished finish.
Premium - These are larger
pieces, usually 2" to 4" (5-10 cm) from the main body of the shell and
have larger patches of coloration. Not all pieces are flat, some pieces are curved. In a random
sample, we had 53 pieces in one pound (giving an average cost of US$2.23
each). These are tumbled with a polished finish.
Gloss Finish Drilled Pieces - These are tumbled to a high gloss finish and each piece is drilled with a hole at the top. They are processed using hydrochloric acid and the pieces tend to be flatter and thinner than the satin finish pieces.
Shipping Notes and Quality Issues
1) You do not have to order a full pound of tumbled pieces,
but can order 1/4 pound, 1/2 pound or 3/4 pound if desired.
2) Please note that we are offering tumbled pieces of
paua. Some pieces will be very nicely tumbled and polished. Some will have
rougher edges. Some quantity will have chips or be broken. We
are not selling the paua as flawless, individually packaged pieces. We have many satisfied customers for this grade of
paua. If, however, you are not pleased with what you received,
please call us and send back 100% of the shell; we cannot accept partial
returns on this product. We do not allow
customers to high-grade or cherry-pick the pieces and send the rest back. If you have any questions,
please call us or write
us.
Genus and species: Haliotis iris. Wild.
A USFWS export permit is required for all shipments outside the USA.
Paua are not an endangered species and are not subject to CITES controls.
Product of New Zealand |
