How To Tell If An Abalone Shell Is Real or Fake

Abalone shells are beautiful natural treasures that make for great decorative pieces and jewelry. Their iridescent sheen and unique patterns make them highly desirable. However, with the popularity of abalone shell items, fake abalone shell products have flooded the market. So how do you tell if an abalone shell is real or fake? Here are some tips and tricks.

Check The Weight

A real abalone shell feels surprisingly heavy for its size. The thick nacre layer makes it quite dense and solid. Fakes tend to be lighter in weight. So if your abalone item feels feather light, it’s likely not real Pick up the shell or jewelry piece and gauge its heft A real abalone bracelet or ring should have some noticeable weight to it.

Look At The Patterns

Genuine abalone has distinctive swirl patterns and colors on its interior. These patterns result from the natural growth structure of the abalone’s nacre layers. The colors range from green blue pink, purple and more. Fakes often look more uniform without the fine, complex designs.

Examine the piece closely under good lighting. Real abalone has a depth and intricacy to its patterning. Fakes look flat and lack that level of detail. If the swirls look artificial, it’s probably not real.

Check For Imperfections

Abalone shells pulled from the ocean will have some natural imperfections. Things like chips, cracks, or scratches. The rough exterior especially shows the marks of its natural origins. Fakes tend to look pristine or perfectly uniform.

So look for small flaws and imperfections. These are signs that the abalone is authentic and untreated. Large unblemished pieces are more suspect.

Attempt A Hot Needle Test

Here’s a simple test you can do: Take a sewing needle and heat up the tip with a lighter or match. Then, gently press the hot needle to an inconspicuous spot on the abalone item. If it’s plastic or resin, the needle will go right through, leaving a pin-sized hole. Real abalone will resist the needle, at most showing a small indent.

Be very careful performing this test as the hot needle can damage the abalone. But it’s an effective way to check if that shell or jewelry is genuine.

Examine The Backing

For abalone jewelry like pendants or rings, look at the backing behind the abalone piece. Real abalone will be backfilled with resin, plastic or metal to make it smooth. Fakes may just have cardstock or nothing behind the abalone “veneer”.

If the backing seems flimsy or cheap, then the abalone is likely not real. Quality jewelry uses durable backings for real abalone pieces.

Research The Source

When buying abalone items, especially jewelry or whole shells, research where it comes from. There are many abalone farms now that ethically and sustainably raise abalone for commercial use. These farms harvest legal, high quality abalone.

Avoid sellers that give vague claims of their abalone being “eco-friendly”. Make sure they state the verified, legal source. Wild abalone harvesting is extremely restricted worldwide so be wary of sellers making dubious claims.

Consult An Expert

When in doubt, consult a professional gemologist or appraiser. They have expert knowledge and tools to conclusively determine if an abalone item is real. They can examine the shell density, patterns, species traits and other indicators.

This professional opinion will give you definitive peace of mind. The small fee is worth it for expensive abalone jewelry or decorative shells.