About

New Zealand’s Abalone pearls are natural pearls from the Abalone Haliotis Iris (Maori name Paua), which is the Black Foot Abalone. The ear-shaped Abalone sea creature produces a highly iridescent baroque pearl, together with flat, spherical and wing-shaped pearls that are prized by collectors for their colour and rarity. The iridescent nacre of the Abalone pearls show an extraordinary range of colours from deep azure to peacock green, red-orange, cream and magenta.

New Zealand has successfully managed the Abalone through comprehensive laws and effective policing of illegal fishing. There is an ample sustainable supply of these natural pearls available into the distant future. Unlike many other places in the world, New Zealand’s clean, unpolluted sea provides a perfect environment for sustainable Abalone stocks. New Zealand is the ‘last frontier’ for natural pearl in the world.

Rob Wright has built up an extensive collection of natural Abalone pearls of gem quality. He has been collecting these pearls over a long period of time. Rob is a designer and manufacturing jeweller with a real affinity to the sea due to his passion for fishing, diving and surfing. Abalone pearls are able to be easily worked into designer jewellery. Rob made his first natural pearl designer piece in 1980, when a local woman from Oakura found a natural pearl when fishing for Paua off the coast. He continues to this day designing and producing stunning original jewellery from these iridescent examples of the mollusc’s accidental art. It is no surprise that Moana Natural Pearl jewellery is treasured around the world.