Paua Art Deco Silver earrings. Paua is the Maori name for a type of sea snail mollusc found off the coast of New Zealand. The shell of these molluscs when polished has a high sheen, high iridescence and can produce a spectacular display of silvery greens and blues and golden hues; it has always been valued in that country for its ornamental uses in jewellery and artefact.
The sourcing of Paua shell is regulated by the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industry, through a quota system, and the mandate that it can only be dived for, not dredged or netted, and that the diving must not be aided by air tanks.
The above Paua Art Deco earrings were created in the 1980s, the Paua shell handcarved, the Silver mounts and earhooks handcrafted, form purely Art Deco with its clean line and stepped shoulders. The dark shell of the upper rhomboids provide a distinct contrast to the mottled rock-pool iridescence of the Paua.
The lower Paua shell segments are properly articulated to move freely, shimmering in the changing angles of light.