Abalone Pearl Pendant in 14K Yellow Gold with Diamond accents in 14K White Gold

This pendant is built around a large pear-shaped natural abalone pearl measuring 18 by 13mm. Found in wild abalone in the cold Pacific waters off Mendocino, California, abalone pearls are among the rarest natural pearls, and across this generous surface the iridescence runs deep, rolling through blues, greens and silvers as the light shifts. A single diamond of 0.05 carat, 2.4mm wide, is set into 14K white gold, its brightness lifting the warm 14K yellow gold that forms the body of the pendant.

Richard Lewis handcrafts each of these in Santa Rosa, and because no abalone pearl ever repeats another’s color, yours is one of a kind. Abalone is an organic, comparatively soft gem, so a few habits protect it: keep it away from perfume, hairspray and household chemicals, never subject it to an ultrasonic cleaner, and store it on its own, away from harder stones.