Spiny Oyster Necklace

The Spiny Oyster gemstone is a colorful shell, that comes from the oyster species ” Spondylus various.” As the name implies, Spiny Oysters are covered with menacing spines. Spiny Oyster shells are unique and beautiful, but also difficult to harvest. They are typically found along the coasts of North Carolina and all the way down to the waters near Brazil. It is also found in the Sea of Cortez, off the coast of Baja Mexica and Baja California. The shells of the Spiney Oyster are a rare find and especially treasured by the Native American Indian artists for their beautiful red, pink, brown, yellow, orange, purple and white colors. Many Zuni artists started creating with Spiney Oyster once Coral was endangered ad un-able to be mined. Orange spiney oyster can range in color from yellow, to orange or red. This orange spiney oyster is the more common variety. It can be found at mid to low ocean depths so snorkelers and scuba divers can easily get to it. Purple spiney oyster AKA “deep purple” spiney oyster is much harder to harvest because of the ocean depth it which it is found. This makes them much for rare. Artist Stamp DSS. Pendant is 5 1/2 cm in length. Chain is 50 cm end to end.