Coque-de-perle

F ure 10.9 Nautilus shells natural and polished, ctoss-secdon, dices and coque-de-perle. 

The nautilus. Nautilus pompUius, has changed little since its ancestors were around several million years ago. It is found at a depth of about 250 metres in warm seas of the Indo-Padfic region. It has a shell that is spirally coiled, with a creamy coloured periostracum with brown, zebra stripes. The centre of the whorl is a nacreous silver-blue which, when used in jewellery, is known as the coque-de-perle (Fig. 10.8). 

The grey-blue nacreous centre of the whorl of nautilus shell is used as a natural cabochon. It is called the coque-de-perle . It is cut out and backed to give it body (Fig. 10.8). 

---

See also in sourсe #XX -- [ , , ]

---