This striking silver and ancient ivory whale tail necklace features a hand worked amber sun and shell detail—an aquatic inspired treasure from our ancient ivory and paua jewelry collection.
This radiant sea-inspired silver whale tail necklace is a favorite from our paua jewelry collection for its evocative sunset motif and fusion of gorgeous natural materials. Here the ocean is set with New Zealand paua shell from an abalone found exclusively in Kiwi waters. The paua's cobalt, deep green, and sunset coral shades immediately draw the eye to anchor this carved ivory pendant in color.
Zealandia jewelry is renowned for its layered design style that gives each piece dimension and life. The whale's lobtailing tail, or fluke, is shown here just before it slaps the water. This is a common surface behavior for certain whale species, and the slap can be heard for some distance below the surface. It is as picturesque as a leaping dolphin and forms the defining silhouette for this piece.
The whale's tail is carved from fossilized mammoth tusk, which is over 15,000 years old. The tusk has lain in permafrost or the earth for millennia, gradually accreting a range of hues from soft cream to rich caramel. We select the cream toned mammoth ivory pieces for this silver whale tail necklace to contrast with the amber sun's rich tone.