Mother of Pearl 5x8mm Chip Beads
Sold as temporary strung 36 inch (approx) strands.
In the 1850s Mother of Pearl harvesting began and it was used extensively in Europe for buttons, knife handles and jewelery. Mother of pearl is the iridescent coating on the inside of mollusk shells. It is named because when an irritant gets inside a shell, the shell protects itself by coating the irritant with the same material of its lining (nacre) that creates pearls (therefore, this substance is the creator, or "mother, of pearls"). Nacre is composed of alternate layers of the aragonite form of calcium carbonate and conchiolin. The undulating grain of mother of pearl is the result of seasonal fluctuations in the mollusk's diet. The dark organic material is laid down during the winter months and the nacre is laid down in the warmer summer months. Most mother of pearl on the market has been bleached to achieve a brighter white. It is believed to stimulate intuition, sensitivity, imagination and adaptability, and help with clarity in decision making. Mother of pearl symbolizes faith, charity and innocence