Also known as blister pearls, mabé pearls are beautiful and exotic pieces of jewellery that everyone wants to wear. Here are 5 things you should know about them!
What are mabé pearls?
Mabé pearls are also known as half pearls; they grow against the inside of an oyster’s shell and have a hemispherical shape with a flat back.
Where are they found?
Mabé pearls are naturally occurring. They are not expensive, unless produced by a rare species of mollusc.
How are they made?
Mabé pearls need some work before they are distributed for use in jewellery. A circle-bit drill cuts the blister from the mollusc shell after which the nucleus is removed and the hole is filled with resin. A piece of mother-of-pearl is capped on the back to complete the look.
Jewellery made from mabé pearls
Mabé pearls are generally found in rings, pendants or earrings. They are hardly used on necklaces or bracelets.
Different types of mabé pearls
- Penguin’s Wing Oyster
- Rainbow-Lipped Pearl Oyster
- White-Lipped Pearl
- Gold Lipped South Sea Pearl
- Abalone Mabé Pearl
