Only in the tidal waters of South and Western Australia and the shores of Tasmania, these marvelous real seashells are formed from small snails.

With an ancient history, Aboriginal women have been collecting these shells and fashioning necklaces for over 2500 years. Examples of their handiwork can be found in such collections as the Australian Museum, as well as the Oxford and British Museums.

One glance at the shells tells the story of their irresistible appeal and why we fell in love with these marvels. Even their common name, the rainbow kelp shell evokes their spirit.

Especially large for their type, these real seashells were purchased from a long-time maireener collector. Yellow gold caps and shepherd's hook ear wires of 14k were added to mirror those few examples from Victorian England.

Yes, the Victorian's too employed these shells, although original examples are scarce.

Predominantly, the shell's hues play amid the green, blue, purple, and yellow ranges with the edges and lips closer to orange, pink, and peach shades. All of them iridescent, they glow with the rainbow colors enlivened by whorls and spirals within the ever widening bands.