Double-Sided Abalone Pendant

22k gold, 18k gold, abalone shell from Fort Bragg California. 21" long
 
This pendant is built around a one of a kind piece of abalone shell that was harvested in 2017. Of all the abalone I dove for, this is the most beautiful piece of the any of the shells. The more uniform side of the pendant shows the inside of the shell, while the striated side is the outside, and shows the different layers built up by the mollusk over time. The dome/depression shows where a predator tried to burrow through the shell and the abalone reinforced the barrier to protect itself.