Source: TTT Jewelry
What mirrors summer 2022? Seashell jewelry! Handmade seashell trinkets, which make jewelry lovers ablaze, made a fashion come back. Seashell necklace has taken hold of tastemakers. Since our shell jewelry launched, clients have sent us inquiries for details.
In this blog, we will tell you the most basic knowledge about the meaning of a seashell necklace.
What Does the Seashell Symbolize?
Natural gemstones and crystal necklaces invite positive energy to a place and wearers, and so do seashell necklaces.
Fertility
Womb and fertility are two things that seashells represent. As seen in Renaissance and antique Venus artwork, the scallop shell is usually connected with fertility because the Roman goddess Venus is associated with love and fertility.
A scallop shell is usually seen in a pagan ceremony to stimulate and encourage child-bearing. That would be a good alternative for one who has fertility trouble or wishes to start a family by wearing seashell charms or a seashell pendant necklace.
Healing
What if groups of buyers want jewelry that can heal physical or mental problems? Shell necklaces do work. Seashells are associated with healing pain, illness, heartbreak, and failures.
Especially, cowrie shell necklaces stand for healing and rebirth. Many Romans also named the cowrie shell “matriculus”, which means womb, defined by its feminine powers.
Strength
Seashell is powerful strength that makes people’s minds strong. Shell showed true speech and was stated in the prayer tradition. It was seen in the hands of gods and goddesses who used it to gain strength before fighting.
Naturally originating from the big ocean, it appears to be one of the precious elements for jewelry. The seashell is a sign of victory over all suffering and is supposed to awaken someone from ignorance.
Source: Net a Porter
Abundance
Once seeing numerous porcelain-white and glittering seashells on the seashore, people may get rich soon. A seashell suggests abundance, indicating abundant money filled in one’s life. So, people with money worries or who wish for a prosperous career feel delighted to have a beautiful seashell necklace.
Renew & Growth
Seashell signifies the craving to grow continually and the belief in the resurrection. It’s one of nature’s masterpieces, and it’s said to aid spiritual growth. Wearing a seashell necklace is beneficial since it encourages wearers to keep moving forward.
Safety & Protection
The seashells offer protection and stress reduction. The shell’s protective nature will safeguard wearers from any negativity that may enter their life. Whenever someone wears seashell necklaces or other shell jewelry, they are under the universe’s protection.
Patience
Seashell reminds us that a silver lining is always there, whatever we’re undergoing. It helps us how to keep going when life throws us a curve ball that we don’t believe we can manage. No matter how the situation is, seashell brings hope and true tranquility.
Source: Pinterest
Mortality
It also symbolizes a man who lives on after he dies. Seashells can survive for decades or even millennia. They are highly revered in Egypt because people there trust in life after death. Seashell drives us to live a good life.
Love
It’s a symbol of love when a couple of close friends wear necklaces with pendants of 2 equal halves of a broken shell. These kinds of shell necklaces make them feel entire while they get together. Hence, the seashell necklace also symbolizes eternal love.
Famous Seashell Necklaces Meaning
1. Cowrie Shell Necklace Meaning
- What are Cowrie Shells?
Cowrie shells are characterized by their humped and thick shell attractively colored (commonly speckled) whose apertural lips opened into the first whorl in the shell and are inrolled or fine-toothed.
These protective amulets have been crafted into cowrie shell necklaces and hair decorations, sewed into prestigious garments, and utilized in religious rites.
- Cowrie Shell Necklaces
They are famous jewelry used for religious accessories worldwide. Gifted protection from the goddess and power from the ocean, cowrie shell necklaces signify prosperity and destiny in America and Africa.
- Use and Influence
Found in the Sahara desert and the Indian Ocean, cowrie shells used to be significantly valued by many African cultures. Worn as necklaces, strong and durable cowrie shells were also used as a currency in West Africa during the transatlantic slave trade.
Source: Bustle
In the Hindu faith, where conch shells and cowrie shells are used in puja, the two types of shell necklaces are supposed to promote travel luck and strengthen long-distance relationships.
The influence of cowrie shells also widely spread to China. They had been used as currency in China, and the exotic feeling of African shell necklaces always presents wealth and fertility wherever they are found.
- Cowrie Shells Spiritual Meaning
Cowrie shell necklace today symbolizes destiny and prosperity. Moreover, cowrie shell means femininity because of appearance and other reasons. Females used to put the shells on altars or even apply these shells in their spells for birth, sexuality, menstruation, or birth.
2. The Puka Shell Necklace Meaning
Source: Freepik
- What are Puka Shells?
The original puka shells, now known as tiger puka, were conical tips of snail shells with a mottled brown tint. These little white shells were strung on cotton or silk string and worn as necklaces to celebrate island culture.
- Puka Shell Necklaces
They are typical Hawaiian shell necklaces naturally found in Hawaii. The word “puka” means “hole” in Hawaiian. “Puka shell” conjures up visions of particularly distinct white shell necklaces, but it refers to any type of shell necklace. Today, many people prefer wearing puka shell necklaces for beach vacations.
Puka necklaces are generally shell choker length or somewhat a bit longer. Most of them lie just on or slightly above the collarbone. There‘re different styles–jagged, dazzling white long shell necklaces; little, round, evenly sized portions.
- Changes Over Time
The prevalence of puka jewelry originated in the surf culture. In the early 1960s, the surfers from south California traveled worldwide to surf, binging back fashions and culture from other places, especially Hawaii–a surfing hotspot.
The hippies regarded these puka necklaces as a sprite of breaking away from conformity more than feminine. Thus the puka surfer shell necklaces were associated with the “bro” or “surfer” culture at that time.
A few years ago, the bohemian hippie style was increasingly popular. Puka shell jewelry got back into fashion as a more natural boho style.
- Use and Influence
Naturally centered holes on puka shells help string puka necklaces and other jewelry easily. The puka shell necklaces are supposed to protect sailors. If given to sailors, it is thought to aid in their safe return home.
Puka shells necklaces convey the good intentions and best wishes of the person who gives them to the wearer. Besides, the necklaces were also seen as good luck. The more symmetrical the shell on the necklaces, the better luck the wearers would be.
Puka shells are a must-have for the VSCO girls look. VSCO girls were named after a photo editing app among Gen Z(age≤25. Puka shells are even popular among millennials (and old millennials).
3. The Scallop Shell Necklace Meaning
- What are Scallop Shells?
Commonly seen on beaches, scallop shells are often in bright colors, making them pop into beach necklaces. They’ve been observed in numerous forms across the world. The most famous depiction of this shell appears in The Birth of Venus, one of the most classic artworks of Botticelli.
Source: Art dependence
- Use and Influence
This essential and iconic form of shell necklace would be the first picture that comes to mind when you think of a seashell necklace. Because of this image, the scallop shell necklace shares the same meaning as Venus, representing love and fertility.
Whenever customers want to build a clean style aesthetics, a simple necklace with a scallop shell pendant satisfies them. In addition, silver and gold scallop shell necklaces stealthily get popular.
4. The Conch Shell Necklace Meaning
- What are Conch Shells?
Before the ceremony and ritual, the conch is blown for good luck, marking a positive and promising work. In the Pacific Islands and world civilization, the conch shell is an instrument of sound. They are easily cut into the proper size for necklaces.
- Use and Influence
Nowadays, people still believe wearing conch shell necklaces purifies evil and invites good luck and fortune. Women are fond of necklaces with conch shells set into gold or silver. Conch shell necklaces are often seen in the luxurious collection of big brands.
5. The Abalone Shell Necklace Meaning
- What are Abalone Shells?
Abalone shells come from sea snails of large to small sizes. The color of the abalone shell-green color sway as the ocean and natural blue mixed with pearly white- appeals to men and women. Significantly, these fancy shells are inexpensive.
- Use and Influence
Because the abalone shells are easy to cut, you can always ask for or purchase the most fashionable abalone heart necklaces and bar pendant necklaces.
Abalone necklaces perform well in gift collections. People love to buy these necklaces as gifts for their beloved ones. Abalone shell necklaces also bring wearers good luck, wealth, and peace.
Conclusion
The most fantastic waterproof jewelry–shell necklaces–are listed above. After reading this blog, we believe you must be clear about the unique symbolism of seashells and who will be the target customers for the popular shell bead necklaces. Let’s start our journey in the seashell jewelry ocean right now!