Materials glossary / Organic material
Abalone (paua)
On the label: Abalone · Organic material
What it is
The iridescent shell of abalone, cut for inlay and pendants; same care as pearl.
Organic materials: Materials made by living things: pearls, amber, coral, shell, jet, bone. Softer than mineral stones and sensitive to acid, heat and perfume.
In the research
35 PubMed papers mention it with jewelry, allergy, eyewear or UV; the three most recent:
- Interactive effects of ocean acidification and settlement biofilm on the early development of the European abalone Haliotis tuberculata · Marine pollution bulletin, 2026
- Bioactivity-Guided Fraction from Viscera of Abalone, Haliotis discus hannai Suppresses Cellular Basophils Activation and Anaphylaxis in Mice · Journal of microbiology and biotechnology, 2024
- Comparative digestion of thermally treated vertebrates and invertebrates allergen pairs in real food matrix · Food chemistry, 2023
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on one fabric or one filter says little about the piece in your hand.
Other organic materials
Clasp & Lens describes materials from the public record and does not appraise, grade or test pieces; what a listing states is the supplier's statement. If a piece causes a rash, take it off; a reaction that spreads or blisters is a doctor's question, and sunglasses are no substitute for impact-rated eye protection where that is required.