Mother of pearl is basically the lining of shells or a mollusc. Tortoiseshell on the other hand is the lining of the hawksbill turtle.
The mother of pearl is naturally water-proof and reasonably tough, although it is moderately brittle which is why its used as an inlay as the surrounding silver protects it.
Pages of mother of pearl necklaces
All these necklaces are constructed using real mother of pearl either in its natural pastel white colour or artificially dyed in pastel pinks or blues.
Pearls are formed when a foreign particle enters an oyster or mussel. The mollusc then secretes a nacre around that particle. Nacre is mostly calcium carbonate(CaCO3) but can also contain a small amount of conchiolin which are fragments of the outer shell of the mollusc.
A gorgeous set of silver jewellery that looks astonishing throughout all seasons.