Abalone pearls, from the gastropod mollusk, Haliotis, are not only some of the rarest pearls in the world, but also considered by many to be some of the most beautiful pearls in the world. The inner mother-of-pearl shell of the abalone has intense luster and a mixed color palate of blues, lavender, orange, green, pink, silver, and nearly every conceivable combination. The beauty of the abalone pearl is reflection of this color potpourri in its typical irregular shape.

Abalone pearls are rarely (but occasionally) symmetrical. A common shape is the "horn" shape. This is due to the anatomy of the abalone. A large, brilliant, symmetrical pearl is a nearly 1 in 100,000 occurrence.

Although abalone pearls are desired and sought after, culturing these gems has been a very difficult venture. Abalone are hemophiliacs, and if they are nucleated in a fashion similar to a mollusk, they will bleed to death quite quickly. Because of this, only abalone mabe pearls have been successfully harvested on a large scale. The culturing process is distinctly similar to that of other pearl producing mollusks, except that much more care must be exercised so that the abalone sustains no internal damage.

Abalone pearl jewelry has yet to hit the main stage in the United States and Europe . The pearl is very popular is New Zealand and Australia , in no minor part due to the marketing and farming by the Eyris Blue Pearl Company in New Zealand . As the industry grows we can expect the beauty of these gems to soon grace the consumers of the West