Mother of Pearl Shell Beads Chief sources of mother of pearl are the pearl oyster, freshwater pearl mussels, and abalone. Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is an iridescent organic-inorganic composite material produced by some mollusks as an inner shell layer and also is what makes up pearls. It is very strong, resilient, and iridescent. Nacre appears iridescent with different colors of light being reflected at different viewing angles. Use: Lustrous and colorful, mother-of-pearl shell beads are commonly used in jewelry making and are a beautiful addition to most any craft creation. Lightweight enough for clustering and multiple layers! Shell: Oyster shell beads recycled from freshwater pearl production Shape: Flat Rectangle, Flat Diamond & Round Beads Color: Creamy Natural White White to ivory in a variety of natural hues Appearance: Shell Exhibit Occasional Natural Dark Markings Enhancements: Natural, Not Enhanced Approximate Size: Rectangle: 14x6mm Diamond: 15x9mm Round: 5mm Approximate Hole Size: 0.75mm Hole Orientation: Top-Drilled Rectangle and Center-Drilled, Lengthwise diamonds Quantity: Sold Per 16-Inch Strand Picture representative of entire beautiful lot - Beads shipped selected at random Due to the nature of this bead, no two are alike and each varies slightly in shape, size & color Imported from China