Genuine 1970s Tiger Puka Shell Surfer Necklace

This puka shell necklace is genuine and was made in the 1970s. It has the classic barrel clasp and crimped silver spacers on either side of the clasp. The puka shells are mostly tiger, with fine veins of caramel. Some are plain white or cream. Each individual shell is unique. Puka shells are created when ocean waves and currents tumble discarded cone shells against coral reefs and rocky shorelines, eventually wearing away the spiral tip and leaving the sturdy circular base with a natural hole. While a popular color is white, genuine puka shells can naturally come in other colors like brown, gray, and light pink.

This necklace is not an ivory white but has sand and beige striations on some of its shells from naturally pigmented striped shells. Genuine, ocean-tumbled puka shells have naturally rounded or curvy edges, unlike the sharper, uniform edges of mass-produced cut chips. The necklace has varied sizes and rounded edges consistent with genuine tumbled shells. Please note, the flash makes some of the shells appear pink. In natural light, the necklace has only beige, caramel, tan, off-white, and cream colors. One of the crimped spacers and the nearby bead ball has slight discoloration (pictured in detailed photos). The screw barrel clasp works as it should. These necklaces were incredibly popular on the west coast and elsewhere in the 70s and 80s. The length is 14 inches long. The necklaces are unisex.