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Paua Shell Pieces

See a size comparison of all sizes of the Satin pieces with a quarter

Medium Satin Paua Shell Pieces

See our Paua Shell Pieces on NaturalExotics.com

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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.

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 approximately 1" to 4" long and 1/8" to 1/2" wide. In a random sample, we had 142 pieces in one pound. 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" long and usually part of the piece will be 1/2" to 1" wide. In a random sample, we had 61 pieces in one pound. These are tumbled with a polished finish.

Premium - These are larger pieces, usually 2" to 4" 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. 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 1 mm hole.  They are processed using hydrochloric acid and the pieces tend to be flatter and thinner than the satin finish pieces.

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.

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.

Order Code Description Size Price
R-565-TPNU-AS Paua Shell Pieces:Natural:Unsorted (lb) 20-80 mm (~0.79-3.15") Buy on NaturalExotics.com
     
R-565-TPSU-AS Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Unsorted (lb) 20-80 mm (~0.79-3.15")
R-565-TPSXF-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Extra-Fine (1/4 lb) 2-5 mm (~0.08-0.20")
R-565-TPSF-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Fine (1/4 lb) 5-15 mm (~0.20-0.59")
R-565-TPSS-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Small (1/4 lb) 15-25 mm (~0.59-0.98")
R-565-TPSM-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Medium (1/4 lb) 25-40 mm (~0.98-1.57")
R-565-TPSL-AS Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Large (lb) 40-65 mm (~1.57-2.56")
R-565-TPSXL-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Extra-Large (1/4 lb) 60+ mm (~2.36"+)
R-565-TPDU-SK-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Spikes (1/4 lb) 1"-4" long, 1/8-1/2" wide
R-565-TPDU-FN-AS Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Fans (lb) 1"-3" long, 1/2"-1" wide
R-565-TPDU-PP-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Satin:Premium (1/4 lb) 2"-4" long
     
R-565-TPGDS-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Gloss:Drilled:Small (1/4 lb) <10 mm (~<0.4")
R-565-TPGDM-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Gloss:Drilled:Medium (1/4 lb) 10-15 mm (~0.39-0.59")
R-565-TPGDL-4 Paua Shell Pieces:Gloss:Drilled:Large (1/4 lb) 15-25 mm (~0.59-0.98")

Genus and species: Haliotis iris. Wild.

The government of New Zealand strictly controls the harvesting of abalone for food. The shells are a natural by-product.

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

Natural Tumbled Paua Shells

These are tumbled pieces without the polished (satin) finish.  They have a more rustic look.

Natural Unsorted (lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPNU-AS

Size: 20-80 mm (~0.79-3.15")

One pound of Unsorted Natural shell is shown on the right.

Satin Finish Tumbled Paua Shells

These are tumbled to a polished finish. They are available in assorted sizes.

Satin Unsorted (lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPSU-AS

Size: 20-80 mm (~0.79-3.15")

See a size comparison with a quarter

One pound of unsorted Satin shell is shown on the right.

Satin Extra Fine (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPSXF-4

Size: 2-5 mm (~0.08-0.20")

See a size comparison with a quarter

Satin Fine (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPSF-4

Size: 5-15 mm (~0.20-0.59")

See a size comparison with a quarter

Satin Small (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPSS-4

Size: 15-25 mm (~0.59-0.98")

Satin Medium (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPSM-4

Size: 25-40 mm (~0.98-1.57")

Satin Large (lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPSL-AS

Size: 40-65 mm (~1.57-2.56")

One pound of Large Satin shell is shown on the right.

Satin X-Large (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPSXL-4

Size: 60+ mm (~2.36"+)

Satin Spikes (1/4)

Order Code: R-565-TPDU-SK-4

Size: 1- 4" long, 1/8-1/2" diameter

Satin Fans (lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPDU-FN-AS

Size: 1-3" long, 1/2-1" wide

Satin Premium (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPDU-PP-4

Size: 2-4"

Gloss Finish Tumbled Paua Shells

These are tumbled to a high gloss finish and each piece is drilled with a hole at the top.

Gloss Small (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPGDS-4

Size: <10 mm (~<0.4")

See a size comparison with a quarter

Gloss Medium (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPGDM-4

Size: 10-15 mm (~0.39-0.59")

See a size comparison with a quarter

Gloss Large (1/4 lb)

Order Code: R-565-TPGDL-4

Size: 15-25 mm (~0.59-0.98")

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